im 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


Dale  L.  Morgan 
Memorial  Fund 


t>. 


BY 


HANNAH  S0RENSEN, 

GRADUATE  OF 

THE  R9YAL  HOSPITAL,  DENMARK. 


SALT  LAKE  CITY,    UTAH. 

PRINTED    BY 

GEORGE  Q.  CANNON  &  SONS  COMPANY. 


PKEFACE. 


During  the  many  years  of  practical  experi- 
ence in  my  profession  as  an  obstretrician,  I 
have  become  acquainted  with  women  in  every 
condition  in  life,  both  the  educated  and  the 
lowly,  and  I  have  found  almost  universal 
ignorance  in  regard  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
needs  peculiar  to  their  sex;  which  created  in 
my  mind  a  burning  desire  to  disseminate  a  few 
fundamental  principles  to  women  in  general, 
through  which  they  might  escape  many  ills. 

The  success  which  has  attended  my  labors  in 
teaching  classes  has  been  very  gratifying. 

However,  one  obstacle  in  my  way  has  ever 
been  the  need  of  a  suitable  text  book.  One  in 
which  religion  and  science  are  in  perfect  har- 
mony; one  in  which  the  language  is  plain  and 
simple  to  be  understood  by  the  masses;  one  not 
designed    to    qualify    women    as    professional 


IV  PREFACE. 

obstetricians;  but   to  encourage    mothers  to  be 
more  motherly,  more  healthy,  and  more   happy. 

Hence  I  submit  this  little  book  for  your 
perusal  and  study.  The  manuscript  was  sub- 
mitted to  the  authorities  of  our  Church,  and 
they  appointed  Bishop  Joseph  B.  Keeler  to 
examine  the  same,  whose  testimony  is  herewith 
appended. 

A  chapter  on  physical  culture  is  added, 
written  by  Miss  Maud  May  Babcock. 

HANNAH  SOBENSEN. 


ENDOKSEMENT. 

Provo  City,  Utah,  March  23,  1896. 
To   Whom  It  May  Concern: 

Having  read  the  manuscript  for  Sister  Hannah 
Sorenson's  new  book,  treating  the  subjects  of 
Obstetrics,  Physiology,  and  Hygiene,  entitled 
What  Women  Should  Know,  I  can  heartily 
endorse  it.  Its  contents  should  be  thoroughly 
understood  by  every  parent,  especially  mothers. 
I  think  the  work  will  be  highly  prized  by  the 
class  of  persons  for  whom  it  is  written,  and  will 
be  the  means  of  enlightening  the  minds  of 
many  on  matters  little  understood,  yet  of  great 
importance  to  the  physical,  moral,  and  religious 
well-being  of  the  race. 

I  have  been  well  acquainted  with  the  author 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  am  also  familiar,  to 
pome  extent,  with  her  labors  among  our  sisters, 


VI  ENDORSEMENT. 

and  I  do  not  hesitate  in  stating  that  she  is 
earnestly  working  for  the  uplifting  and  better- 
ment of  her  sex. 

Respectfully, 

Jos.  B.  Keeler,  Bishop 
4th  Ward,  Provo. 


CONTENTS. 

The  Humau  Form 9 

The  Female  Pelvis 10 

The  Foetal   Head 16 

External  Organs  of  Generation 19 

Internal  Organs  of  Generation 19 

Menstruation     26 

Hygiene 35 

Pure  Air 35 

Food 36 

Uses  of  Water 42 

Bathing 44 

Wet  Packs  or  Bandages 48 

Care  of  the  Teeth 50 

Care  of  the  Hair 51 

The  Eye 51 

Work   51 

Dress   52 

Preparation  for  Marriage 59 

Married  Life 61 

Law  of  Continence 64 

Conception   65 

Changes  taking  place  after  Fecundation ....  66 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

Pregnancy 72 

Diseases  of  Pregnancy 73 

Prenatal  Influence   77 

Accidents  of   Pregnancy 78 

Abortion 78 

Foeticide 81 

Extra  Uterine   Pregnancy 87 

Labor 89 

Canses 90 

Forces 91 

Management  of  Labor 93 

Cutting   of  Umbilical  Cord 99 

Delivery  of  Placenta 100 

Attention  to  New-Born  Child 102 

Dressing  Stump  of  Navel  String 104 

Management  of  mother  and  child  after  de- 
livery    106 

After  Pains 108 

Excessive  Flow  of  Milk 109 

Deficient  Flow  of  Milk  109 

Puerperal    Septicemia Ill 

Nursing  and  Weaning 117 

Artificial  Feeding  of  Infants ...  126 

Diet  and  Dressing  of   Children 127 

Moral  Training  of  Children. 132 

Social  Purity 137 

Ecoitomy  in  the  Household 146 

Qualifications  of  a  Nurse 152 

The  True  Healing  Art 155 

Physical  Culture 158 


THE  HUMAN  FOKM. 

The  good  Book  tells  us  that  man  is  made  in 
the  exact  image  of  God — male  and  female — each 
for  a  special  labor  in  the  divine  mission  to  earth. 

There  is  a  marked  difference  between  the 
anatomical  construction  and  form,  as  well  as  in 
the  mental  faculties  of  the  male  and  female, 
neither  one  inferior  but  distinctly  different. 

The  male  form  is  broadest  at  the  shoulders, 
the  muscles  are  strong  and  prominent,  suggest- 
ive of  great  physical  strength  and  power.  In 
comparison,  the  female  form  is  narrower  at  the 
shoulders,  larger  at  the  hips ;  the  cavity  and 
openings  of  the  pelvis  are  larger.  The  bones 
are  more  round  and  smooth,  with  less  angular 
joints,  giving  a  more  pleasing  and  graceful  out- 
line to  her  form.  Her  hands  and  feet  are 
smaller,  and  her  limbs  taper  to  them.  She  has 
softer  and  fairer  skin  and  finer  hair. 

I  will  not  endeavor  to  speak  of  mental  dis- 
tinction in  this  little  work,  but  will  point  out 
the  difference  physically  which  adapts  each  to 
its  life-work,    as  given  by  divine  injunction — 


10  WHAT    WOMEN    SHOULD   KNOW. 

labor  for  the  man  and  motherhood  for  the 
woman. 

We  should  have  a  selfish  regard  for  the  per- 
fect human  form,  and  in  no  wise  deform  even  a 
portion  of  it,  thus  destroying  its  powers. 

The  physical  life  of  a  human  being  embraces 
the  rise,  progress  and  decay  of  all  bodily  powers; 
and  to  preserve  health  and  prevent  disease  is, 
aside  from  that  science  which  treats  of  the  dis- 
ease of  sin  and  the  preservation  of  spiritual 
health,  the  most  important  subject  which  can 
engage  the  human  mind. 

THE  FEMALE  PELVIS. 

The  word  "pelvis"  means  basin.  It  is  a  strong 
framework  of  bones,  in  which  the  reproductive 
organs  are  contained  and  to  which  they  are 
attached.  Its  lower  part,  or  cavity,  together 
with  the  muscles,  fascia  and  connective  tissue, 
form  a  kind  of  canal,  through  which  a  child 
must  pass  during  parturition. 

It  is  composed  of  the  right  and  left  innomin- 
ate bones,  sacrum,  and  coccyx. 

Joints  of  the  Pelvis. — The  base  of  the  coccyx 
is  joined  to  the  apex  of  the  sacrum  with  a 
"hinge-joint,"  and  in  delivery  is  capable  of  being 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 


11 


moved  backward  one-half  inch.  The  junction 
of  the  ilium  (upper  part  of  the  innominate  bone) 
with  the  sacral  bone  is  called  the  "sacro-iliac- 


i.  Antero-posterior    (conjugate).      2.    Bis-iliac   (transverse). 
3.  Oblique. 

synchondrosis."  The  lumbarsacral  joint  is 
where  the  last  lumbar  vertebra  rests  upon  the 
superior  surface  of  the  base  of  the  sacrum,  and 
as  the  layer  of  intervertebral  cartilage  which 
binds  these  two  parts  together  is  much  thicker 
in  front  than  behind,  it  of  course  tilts  the  sac- 
rum backward  and  forms  what  is  called  the 
" sacral-promontory."  The  junction  of  the  pubic 


12         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

bones  in  the  front  of  the  pelvis  is  called  the 
'  'symphysis-pubis . ' ' 

Measurements  or  the  Pelvis. — The  object 
of  measuring  the  pelvis  is  to  compare  the  length 
of  its  diameters  with  the  length  of  the  diameters 
of  the  child's  body  that  passes  through  it. 
Without  this  knowledge  it  would  be  impossible 
to  understand  the  mechanism  of  labor  or  to  ren- 
der proper  assistance  in  cases  of  difficult  delivery. 

There  is  no  way  to  obtain  accurate  measure- 
ments of  the  pelvis  in  the  living  female,  nor  of 
the  child's  head  before  it  is  born,  but  by  taking 
the  dried  bony  framework  and  allowing  for  the 
upholstery  of  muscles,  etc.,  the  diameters  may 
be  approximated. 

On  the  internal  side  of  the  innominate  bones 
we  will  find  a  prominent  line  or  ridge  extending 
in  a  semi-circular  curve,  which  together  with 
the  "sacral  promontory"  forms  a  bony  ring 
called  the  "brim"  or  "superior  strait,"  the 
diameters  of  which  are  as  follows: 

From  the  sacral  promontory  to  the  symphysis 
pubis,  front  and  back  is  4  inches. 

Transverse  diameter  from  one  side  of  the  brim 
to  the  other  is  4  inches. 

Oblique  diameters  taken  from  the  sacro-iliac- 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         13 

synchondrosis  to  the  "acetabulum"  across  the 
pelvic  brim,  right  and  left  alike,  are  4^  or  5 
inches. 

The  "inferior  strait"  means  the  outlet  from 
the  pelvis  cavity;  its  diameters  are: 

From  the  bottom  of  the  symphysis  pubis  to 
the  tip  of  the  coccyx,  front  and  back,  4>£  or  5 
inches. 

Transverse  diameter  from  the  one  tuberosity 
of  the  ischium  to  the  other,  4  inches. 

Oblique  diameters  taken  from  the  center  of 
the  "great  sacro-sciatic  ligament"  to  the  thick- 
ened portion  of  the  "rami'1  opposite,  4  inches. 

The  diameters  of  the  cavity  are  all  5  inches. 

The  internal  surface  of  the  bones  of  the  pel- 
vis are  smooth,  covered  with  membranes,  carti- 
lage, muscles,  etc.,  so  that  the  child's  body  can 
pass  without  injury  from  any  rough  projections. 

All  that  part  of  the  pelvis  above  the  brim  is 
called  the  "false  pelvis,"  because  it  is  deficient 
in  its  bony  structure;  its  front  wall  being  com- 
posed of  the  abdominal  wall.  The  measure  of 
the  false  pelvis  is  taken  from  one  side  to  the 
other  externally. 

Between  the  widest  parts  of  the  iliac  crests, 
10^2  inches, 


14         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

From  the  one  "anterior  superior  spinous  pro- 
cess" of  the  iliac  to  the  other  is  9j4  inches. 

The  most  important  fact  developed  by  these 
measurements  is  that  the  brim  is  longest  in  its 
oblique  diameters,  while  the  outlet  is  longest  in 
its  antero-posterior  measurement,  which  ex- 
plains the  necessity  of  what  is  called  rotation  in 
the  mechanism  of  labor. 

In  addition  to  these  measurements  of  the  pel- 
vis, it  is  also  necessary  to  remember  the  depth 
of  its  walls;  thus  the  depth  of  the  anterior  wall, 
i.  e.,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  of  the  symphy- 
sis pubis,  1}4  inches. 

While  the  depth  of  the  posterior  wall,  from 
the  sacral  promontory  to  the  tip  of  the  coccyx 
(the  line  being  a  chord  of  the  sacro-coccygeal 
curve)  is  three  times  as  long,  viz.,  4.}4  inches. 

Toward  the  end  of  pregnancy  the  following 
changes  take  place  in  the  different  parts  of  the 
pelvis:  Synovial  fluid  is  more  plentiful  in  the 
articulations,  which  causes  the  joints  to  expand 
a  very  little  in  favor  of  the  passage  of  the  child 
in  delivery.  The  ligaments  become  a  little 
softer  and  somewhat  relaxed.  The  cartilage 
swells  a  little  and  acts  as  a  cushion  between  the 
bones. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         15 

The  female  pelvis  differs  from  that  of  the 
male  exactly  in  those  points  which  facilitate 
child  bearing,  giving  an  evidence  of  the  mission 
of  woman  as  designed  by  her  Creator;  and  as 
we  study  this  science  we  are  deeply  impressed 
with  the  wisdom  and  charity  of  the  great  De- 
signer. 

The  beautiful  natural  form  of  the  female 
pelvis  can  be  seriously  affected  by  absurd  fashion 
in  dress,  and  habits  of  posture.  For  instance, 
during  the  tender  years  of  development  up  to 
the  age  of  maturity,  I  believe  it  is  possible  for 
the  hip  bones  (iliac)  to  be  cnrved  inward, 
through  wearing  tight  bands  and  corsets,  so 
that  the  distance  between  them  will  be  less,  and 
later  in  life,  when  the  child-bearing  period 
comes,  produce  a  tendency  to  a  more  unsightly 
form  during  pregnancy,  because  the  abdominal 
space  will  be  more  narrow  and  consequently 
more  projecting,  besides  destroying  the  har^ 
mony  of  the  median  line  of  uterus  and  cavity  or 
producing  obliquity  of  uterus,  causing  many 
serious  results  in  the  course  of  labor.  I  also 
believe  that  the  wearing  of  corsets  and  bones 
has  the  effect  of  destroying  the  graceful  curve 
in   the   sacral   region,    which   is   essential,    not 


16         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

only  to  grace  and  beauty,  but  is  very  important 
during  the  maternal  functions. 

The  coccygeal  region  can  be  seriously  affected 
by  wrong  habits  in  sitting,  always  leaning  back 
in  the  chair;  also  in  curving  the  body  in  leaning 
forward,  bending  in  the  stomach  region  instead 
of  the  hip  joint.  The  trunk  should  be  kept  in 
a  straight  line. 

TEE   FOETAL  HEAD. 

In  order  that  we  may  have  a  [proper  under- 
standing of  the  proceedings  in  delivery,  it  is 
very  necessary  that  we  become  acquainted  with 
the  form,  size  and  shape  of  the  foetal  body, 
especially  the  head,  because  it  is  the  most  diffi- 
cult part  of  the  child  to  deliver. 

The  foetal  head  is  somewhat  egg- shaped,  &nd 
this  in  connection  with  other  peculiarities  facil- 
itates its  passage  through  the  pelvic  canal.  The 
cranial  bones  are  imperfectly  ossified,  (and 
therefore  are  elastic)  their  sutural  borders  are 
surmounted  by  a  rim  of  cartilage  and  can  be 
pressed  closer  together  or  even  made  to  overlap 
each  other,  without  any  injury  to  the  child,  but 
a  blessing  to  the  mother  during  parturition. 

The  fontanelles  are  spaces  left  in  the  skull  at 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 


17 


points  where  the  angles  of  two  [or   more  bones 
meet — due  to  deficient  ossification.      The  anter- 


Diameters  of  foetal  head.      1-2,  Occipito-frontal.      3-4.  Occipito- 
mental.    5-6.  Cervico-bregmatic  (or  vertical).     7-8. 
Fronto-mental. 

ior  fontanelle  is  not  completely  closed  till  one 
or  two  years  after  birth. 

The  approximate  average  diameters  of  the 
foetal  head  are  as  follows: 

The  "occipito-mental"  from  point  of  the  chin 
to  the  superior  angle  of  the  occiput  is  5^ 
inches. 

The  "occipito-frontal"  taken  between  the 
superior  angle  of  the  occiput,  and  the  center  of 
the  forehead  is  4^2  inches. 


18         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

The  "biparietal,"  transversely  from  one  tub- 
erosity of  the  parietal  bone  to  the  other  is  3^2 
inches. 

The.fronto-mental,  from  the  top  of  the  fore- 
head to  the  end  of  the  chin  is  3}4  inches. 

There  are  other  measurements — but  not  so  im- 
portant: one  however  is  important  in  face  pre- 
sentations. It  is  called  sternomentum,  and  is 
the  length  of  the  child's  neck,  when  the  chin  is 
removed  as  far  as  possible  from  the  sternum :  it 
is  1}4  inches  exactly  the  same  as  the  depth  of 
the  maternal  symphisis  pubis. 

Articulation  and  movements  of  the  head. 
— The  motions  of  flexion  and  extension  are  pro- 
vided for,  in  part,  by  the  articulation  of  the 
occiputal  condyles  with  the  atlas,  and,  in  part, 
by  the  articulations  of  the  cervical  vertebrae. 
The  motion  of  rotation  (which  cannot  be  forced 
beyond  the  fourth  of  a  circle  without  danger)  is 
provided  for  by  the  articulation  of  the  atlas 
with  the  axis. 

By  comparing  the  diameters,  form,  and  size 
of  the  foetal  head,  with  those  of  the  maternal 
pelvic  structure,  we  find  how  beautifully  they 
-correspond,  giving  another  instance  of  the 
wonderful  harmony  in  the  works  of  nature. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         19 

EXTEENAL  OEGANS  OF  GENEEATION. 

The  structures  generally  included  in  the  ex- 
ternal generative  organs  of  the  female  are  the 
mons  veneris,  labia  majora,  labia  minora,  elitoris, 
vestibule,  urethra  and  its   meatus,   and    hymen. 

The  term  vulva  is  generally  used  to  express 
all  of  the  external  organs. 

INTEENAL  OEGANS   OF  GENEEATION. 

The  internal  generative  organs  are  the  vagina, 
uterus,  fallopian  tubes  and  ovaries. 

The  vagina  is  a  membranous  canal  extend- 
ing from  the  vulva  to  the  uterus.  Its  length  at 
its  posterior  wall  is  about  3}4  inches,  its  anterior 
wall  is  about  3  inches,  its  diameter  about  one 
inch,  but  is  capable  of  expanding  to  a  very 
great  extent. 

At  rest  its  walls  are  in  contact  with  each 
other.  Its  attachments  to  adjoining  organs  are 
as  follows:  The  posterior  wall  is  connected  by 
its  middle  three-fifths  to  the  rectum ;  its  lower 
fifth  is  separate  from  the  rectum  and  is  in  con- 
tact with  the  perenial  body,  and  its  upper  fifth 
is  in  contact  with  the  folds  of  peritoneum,  which 
descend  behind  the  uterus. 


20 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  21 

EXPLANATION  OF  CUT  ON  OPPOSITE   PAGE. 

Female  geneartive  organs,  as  seen  in  longitudinal  section  through 
the  median  line  of  the  body,  i.  Body  of  uterus,  2.  Cavity  of  body. 
3.  Cervix  uteri.  4.  Cavity  of  cervix.  5.  Os  uteri.  6.  Cavity  ot 
vagina.  7.  Vaginal  orifice.  8.  Blafdder.  9.  Urethra.  10.  Vesico- 
vaginal septum.  11.  Rectum.  12.  Cavity  of  rectum.  13.  Anus. 
14.  Recto-vaginal  septum.  15.  Perineum.  16.  Vesico-uterine 
cul  de-sac.  17.  Recto- vaginal  cul-de-sac  or  cul-de-sac  of  Doug- 
las. 18.  Symphysis  pubis.  19.  Nympha.  20.  Labium  majus. 
(From  Barnes  after  Tarnier  and  Sappey.) 

Its  anterior  wall  is  united  by  connective  tissue 
with  the  posterior  wall  of  the  bladder  and 
urethra.  The  upper  extremity  of  the  vaginal 
cylinder  surrounds  and  is  attached  to  the  neck 
of  the  uterus;  and  it  is  called  the  fornix. 

The  vagina,  situated  as  it  is  in  the  axis  of 
the  pelvic  canal,  and  attached  to  the  bladder 
and  rectum,  may  easily  become  affected,  if  the 
calls  of  nature  are  disregarded  and  these  organs 
become  distended. 

•The  vaginal  wall  is  also  forced  to  disten- 
sion and  consequently  becomes  relaxed  and 
sinks  down,  causing  great  annoyance. 

The  uterus  is  a  thick  walled,  hollow  organ,  in 
shape  something  like  a  flattened  pear,  situated 
in  the  middle  of  the  pelvic  cavity,  its  upper  end 
being  a  little  below  the  plane  of  the  superior 
strait.     The  bladder  is  in  front  of  it,  the  rectum 


22         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

behind  it  and  the  vagina  below  it.  The  small 
intestine  rests  upon  it  from  above.  It  is  re- 
tained in  its  position  by  broad  and  round  liga- 
ments. * 

The  broad  ligaments  cover  the  external  sur- 
face of  the  uterus,  front  and  back,  giving  a  cur- 
tain like  appearance,  and  are  attached  to  the 
sides  of  the  pelvis.  The  round  ligaments  or 
cords  are  4^  inches  long,  attached  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  uterus,  and  pass  between  the  two 
folds  of  broad  ligament,  outward,  forward  and 
through  the  inguinal  canal,  their  terminal  fibres 


Section  of  uterus  before  childbirth.  A.  Cavity  of  cervix.  C. 
Cavity  of  body.  0.  Os  internum,  #.  Uterine  wall.  (From 
Barnes,  after  Tarnier.) 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  23 

being  lost  in  the  mons  veneris  and  labia  majoria. 

In  size  the  uterus  is  about  3  inches  long, 
transversely  across  its  widest  part  about  Y% 
inches  and  its  greatest  antero-posterior  thick- 
ness 1  inch.  At  the  end  of  pregnancy  it  attains 
the  size  of  12  or  14  inches  in  length,  and  8  or 
10  inches  transversely. 

It  is  divided  by  anatomists  into  fundus,  body 
and  neck.  The  fundus  is  all  that  rounded  por- 
tion placed  above  a  horizontal  line  drawn 
through  the  angles  where  the  fallopian  tubes 
open  into  the  uterus;  the  body  is  all  that  por- 
tion between  the  fundus  and  the  neck,  and  the 
neck  is  all  that  part  below  a  line  drawn  hori- 
zontally through  the  organ  at  the  level  of  the 
internal  os  uteri. 

The  uterus  has  a  small  cavity  triangular  in 
shape  with  three  openings  those  of  the  fallopian 
tubes  and  that  of  the  os  externum. 

In  its  natural  condition,  the  uterus  is  not 
fixed  nor  adhered  to  any  part  of  the  skeleton, 
it  is  simply  suspended  or  hung  in  the  pelvic 
cavity  by  the  tent-like  curtains  of  peritoneum 
and  other  ligaments  attached  to  it.  A  full 
bladder  pushes  it  backward;  a  distended  rectum 
forward.      It  changes  its  position  by  gravity  as 


24         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

the  female  changes  her  posture.  Viewed 
through  a  speculum  its  cervix  may  be  seen  to 
rise  and  fall  with  every  motion  of  the  diaphragm 
during  respiration,  and  still  more  apparent  are 
the  motions  which  attend  coughing,  laughing, 
etc.  The  great  number  and  variety  of  uterine 
displacements  is  not  a  matter  of  surprise,  when 
we  consider  the  disregard  given  to  nature's  calls 
and  the  careless  and  artificial  way  of  living  and 
injurious  mode  of  dress. 

Functions  of  the  Uterus:  It  is  the  source  of 
menstrual  discharge;  it  is  the  lodging  place 
for  the  foetus  during  its  development  and  is  the 
source  of  its  nutritive  supply  and  it  contracts  at 
full  term  to  expel  the  child.  The  functions  of 
this  organ  are  of  very  great  importance  and 
whether  it  shall  be  able  to  perform  them  de- 
pends to  a  great  degree  upon  a  woman's  actions 
in  life.  Many  thousands  of  our  sex  have  by 
ignorance  or  sin  caused  these  natural  functions 
to  be  disturbed  resulting  in  unhappiness,  misery 
and  even  death. 

The  fallopian  tubes  are  two  in  number,  given 
off  from  the  uterus  at  each  of  its  superior  angles. 
They  are  about  four  inches  in  length  and  are 
somewhat  trumpet  shaped.      They  have  a  tiny 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 


25 


cavity  the  diameter  of  which,  at  the  end  nearest 
the  uterus  is  Y25  of  an  inch  but  increases  in  size 
toward  the  free  distal  end  where  it  is  as  large 
as  a  goose  quill.  Their  functions  are  to  convey 
spermatic  fluid  from  the  uterus  to  the  ovary 
and  conduct  the  germ  cell  from  the  ovary  to  the 
uterus. 


Relations  of  ovary  with  uterus  and  Fallopian  tube.  The  two 
lines  inclose  a  V-shaped  bit  of  the  ovary  which  is  represented? 
largely  magnified,  in  the  next  figure.  Both  figures  are,  of  course, 
diagrammatic. 


26         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

When  the  ovule  is  about  to  be  discharged 
from  the  ovisac,  the  fimbriae  of  the  tube  grasp 
the  ovary  so  as  to  promote  the  safe  entrance  of 
the  little  germ-cell  into  the  trumpet  shaped  end 
of  the  tube,  whence  it  is  conveyed,  by  peristaltic 
motion  of  the  canal  into  the  uterus. 

The  ovaries  are  also  two  in  number  and  are 
placed  on  each  side  of  the  uterus  between  the 
anterior  and  posterior  layers  of  the  broad  liga- 
ments, a  little  behind  and  below  the  fallopian 
tubes.  The  ovaries  are  connected  to  the  trum- 
pet shaped  end  of  the  tube  by  a  single  fimbriae, 
and  to  the  uterus  by  a  ligament. 

The  function  of  the  ovaries  is  ovulation, 
which  means  production,  development,  and  dis- 
charge of  ovules. 

MENSTBUATION. 

Menstruation  is  a  monthly  hemorrhage  from 
the  uterine  cavity;  its  cause,  as  well  as  its  treat- 
ment, is  so  little  understood  by  womankind  that 
it  is  one  of  the  many  causes  of  woman's  frail 
physical  condition. 

Menstruation  is  dependent  upon,  or  coincident 
with  ovulation.     About  the  time  when  an  ovule 


WHAT   WOMEN     SHOULD    KNOW.  27 

is  ripe  and  soon  to  be  discharged,  the  reproduc- 
tive organs,  especially  the  ovaries  and  uterus 
receive  an  extra  supply  of  blood — they  become 
physiologically  congested  in  anticipation  of  im- 
pregnation taking  place.  Let  me  here  empha- 
size the  fact  that  these  ovules  are  placed  in  the 
female  ovary  for  the  sole  object  of  being  im- 
pregnated that  offspring  may  be  produced,  but 
in  the  absence  of  impregnation  the  extra  blood 
supply,  which  was  designed  to  prepare  the 
organs  for  the  reception  and  development  of  an 
impregnated  germ,  fails  in  its  natural  purpose 
and  is  discharged  in  the  form  of  menstruation. 
The  ovule  is  also  lost  and  discharged.  This 
form  of  operation  we  find  to  take  place  (after  it 
has  made  its  first  appearance)  in  woman  once  a 
month  up  to  the  time  of  conception. 

The  First  Menstruation.— We  understand 
that  the  period  of  menstruation  in  a  woman's 
life  is  the  child-bearing  period,  and  when  it 
ceases  to  appear,  which  is  generally  at  the  age 
of  forty-five  or  fifty,  it  indicates  her  inability  to 
bear  children. 

Now  if  it  is  true  that  cessation  of  menstrua- 
tion indicates  her  inability  to  bear  children,  it 
must  be  just  as  true  that  its  appearance  indi- 


28         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

•cates  her  ability  to  bear  children.  If  menstru- 
ation indicates  woman's  ability  to  bear  children, 
it  is  reasonable  to  say  that  it  should  appear 
only  at  maturity,  is  it  not? 

You  would  not  expect  a  little  girl  twelve 
years  old  to  be  properly  developed  to  become  a 
mother,  would  you?  Certainly  not;  but  yet  we 
find  our  little  half-grown  girls  menstruating, 
and  only  the  thinking  mind  asks  what  has 
caused  this  discord.  I  can  only  give  my  own 
opinion,  as  I  have  never  heard  any  one  attempt 
an  explanation. 

I  believe  there  are  many  causes,  especially 
through  ignorance  of  sexual  laws,  practiced  for 
many  generations.  I  am  sure  it  has  not  always 
been  thus,  and  am  just  as  sure  that  it  will  not 
always  last.  We  believe  in  the  restoration  of 
all  things  to  beauty  and  perfection,  and  woman 
will  be  no  exception. 

How  will  it  be  brought  about? 

Just  on  natural  principles  and  obedience  to 
natural  laws.  It  should  be  our  aim  to  work 
toward  the  normal  condition,  to  find  out  the 
causes  for  the  too  early  menstruation,  for  then 
we  have  some  hope  of  checking  it. 

The  mighty  tide  of  ignorance,  sin  and  suffer- 


WHAT  WOMEN     SHOULD    KNOW.  29 

ing  cannot  be  turned  at  once,  but  there  are 
many,  many  by-ways  of  escape  even  for  us  now 
if  we  are  prayerful  and  earnest  in  seeking  to 
better  our  condition. 

Circumstances  modify  the  age  at  which  mens- 
truation first  appears,  and  climate  has  a  slight 
influence  upon  it,  but  we  know  that  luxury, 
stimulants,  indolence,  hot  rooms,  puriency  of 
thought,  novel -reading,  round  dancing,  secret 
association  with  the  opposite  sex,  all  render  the 
woman  precocious. 

Mothers,  you  must  certainly  realize  that  you 
have  no  right  to  be  passive  on  this  subject  nor 
say  you  can  do  nothing.  You  can  avoid  a 
luxurious  and  indolent  life.  A  hygienic  life  is 
within  the  reach  of  all.  You  can  train  your 
little  ones  in  the  channels  of  purity.  You  should 
not  be  so  careless  in  regard  to  the  associations 
that  your  children  are  forming.  You  can  avoid 
novel-reading  and  theater-going,  except  it  be  of 
an  elevating  character.  You  can  also  avoid  the 
use  of  stimulants  and  condiments. 

Another  subject  I  wish  to  mention  is  the  mis- 
understanding you  seem  to  have  concerning  the 
condition  of  your  young  daughters,  when  often 
in  the  early  years  of  puberty  they  become  puny 


30         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

and  sickly.  The  general  belief  is  that  they  are 
sick  because  they  do  not  menstruate,  and  efforts 
are  made  in  every  possible  and  almost  impos- 
sible manner  to  make  them  menstruate. 

The  digestive  and  nervous  systems  are  some- 
times nearly  ruined  as  a  result  of  the  strong 
medicines  used-  All  that  you  can  do  is  to  re- 
store the  health  by  natural  laws — never  think  of 
the  menstruation,  it  will  take  care  of  itself. 
But  I  hear  you  say,  "What  then  is  the  matter 
with  my  daughter?"  That  is  just  what  you  must 
try  to  find  out.  Is  your  daily  life  one  of  strict 
obedience  to  nature's  laws?  There  is  a  period 
in  a  woman's  life  called  puberty,  beginning  at 
about  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age,  and  continues 
up  to  twenty.  It  is  during  this  period  that  the 
female  develops  into  perfect  womanhood;  she 
not  only  increases  in  size  and  stature,  but  the 
reproductive  organs  also  attain  their  perfect  de- 
velopment, so  that  when  the  period  of  puberty 
has  passed  she  is  in  a  condition  perfectly  de- 
veloped, not  only  mentally  but  physically,  to 
assume  that  holy  duty,  designed  by  her  Creator 
to  become  a  healthy  and  perfect  mother.  Now 
this  is  nature's  operation  if  not  disturbed.  The 
age   of   puberty   places   the    female    upon   the 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         31 

boundary  line  between  childhood  and  woman- 
hood, and  is  one  of  the  most  important  periods 
of  life,  a  time  when  a  mother's  care  and  a 
mother's  watchful  eye  are  most  needed.  A 
young  girl  should  never  be  allowed  to  approach 
this  epoch  of  her  existence  without  some  know- 
ledge, suited  to  her  years,  of  the  phenomena  of 
menstruation. 

The  reason  I  speak  of  this  is  because  I  think 
it  a  very  serious  matter,  that  gross  ignorance 
exists  among  the  masses  of  the  people,  and 
there  seems  to  be  no  one  who  wishes  to  bring 
light  upon  it  because  of  its  delicacy.  Modesty 
has  become  so  depraved  that  in  its  sickly  con- 
dition it  no  longer  cares  for  its  own  welfare.  As 
children  increase  in  years  they  should  become 
acquainted  with  the  organization  and  natural 
functions  of  their  own  bodies,  thus  avoiding  sin 
and  misery.  There  is  no  shame  connected  with 
womanhood. 

It  has  been  a  painful  discovery  to  me  to  find, 
during  the  many  years  of  my  practical  exper- 
ience, that  only  a  small  minority  of  women  are 
in  a  fit  condition  to  be  mothers.  There  are 
many  causes  for  this  pitiful  condition.  The 
important  functions  of  the  reproductive  system 


32         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

have  been  interfered  with  and  they  are  not  in  a 
condition  to  operate  as  nature  requires.  Im- 
proper work,  improper  dress,  improper  diet, 
lifting  heavy  burdens,  obtaining  a  masculine 
standard  of  education,  injurious  or  degrading 
habits,  and  ignorance  of  sexual  laws,  all  con- 
tribute to  the  physical  degradation  of  women. 

Woman,  as  left  by  the  Master  hand,  perfectly 
endowed  with  every  qualification  to  fulfill  her 
high  and  holy  destiny,  appears  before  us,  in  too 
many  cases,  as  a  physical  wreck,  broken  down  in 
spirit  as  well  as  in  body,  seeking  the  cause  for 
her  misery  everywhere  but  very  seldom  where  it 
is  to  be  found.  It  is  within  the  grasp  of  woman 
herself  to  better  her  condition  if  she  will  look 
upon  life  seriously  and  exercise  common  sense. 

I  think  it  improper  for  a  woman  to  engage  in 
any  labor  that  requires  her  to  stand  on  her  feet 
from  morning  until  night,  as  many  occupations 
demand,  especially  when  she  is  an  invalid, 
which  she  is  at  least  once  a  month.  These 
organs  certainly  are  at  that  particular  time  in  a 
condition  that  needs  quietness  and  rest.  It  is 
also  injurious  to  lift  heavy  weights  or  stand  at 
the  wash  tub  for  many  hours.  Then  comes 
another  fatal  destroyer  of  womanly  happiness 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         33 

Fashion — how  much  misery  hast  thou  brought 
to  our  fair  daughters!  When  wilt  thou  cease  to 
conquer?  Fashion  must  be  followed  whether  it 
brings  life  and  health  or  sickness  and  death. 
(See  chapter  on  dress.) 

I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  finding 
fault  with  modern  educational  systems  for  the 
young;  they  are  doubtless  what  they  should  be 
for  males,  but  not  properly  arranged  for 
females. 

During  the  age  of  puberty,  it  should  not  be 
the  aim  of  girls  to  excel  the  boys  in  the  men- 
tal race  for  knowledge,  because  the  overworked 
brain  in  its  efforts  to  perform  its  heavy  work, 
calls  for  a  greater  supply  of  blood  than  the  deli- 
cate system  is  able  to  produce;  except  it  be  at 
the  expense  of  the  development  of  other  just  as 
important  organs.  Excessive  physical  labor  as 
I  have  stated  should  also  be  avoided,  both  mental 
and  physical  should  be  moderate  at  this  peculiar 
age  of  puberty. 

Many  lovely,  refined,  highly  educated  women 
whom  I  have  met  in  consultation,  have  inquired 
the  cause  of  their  barrenness,  and  they  so  much 
desired  to  become  mothers.  It  has  been  my 
sad  experience  to  discover  that   their  reproduc- 


34         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

tive  organs  were  no  further  developed,  than  if 
the  individual  was  a  child  of  ten  years.  Puberty- 
is  the  only  age  in  which  the  reproductive  organs 
can  be  developed. 

Life  is  sufficiently  long  that  a  perfect  mental 
and  physical  development  can  be  attained — one 
not  at  the  expense  of  the  other.  There  is  no 
limit  to  our  intellectual  development  in  this  life 
nor  in  the  life  to  come,  but  a  perfect  physical 
development  must  be  gained  early  in  life. 

In  regard  to  menstruation,  Ijwill  quote  Dr. 
Lowenthal.  In  a  recent  publication  he  says: 
"Menstruation  is  not  physiological  but  patho- 
logical and  not  neccessary  to  health,  that  men- 
strual blood  is  normal  blood  and  does  not  con- 
tain any  poisonous  substance  that  must  be  elim- 
inated from  the  system,  that  in  amenorrhea 
emenagogues  are  useless  and  harmful,  as  some 
constitutional  diseases  (chlorosis,  hysteria,  etc.) 
cause  amenorrhea,  but  the  latter  causes  no  dis- 
ease itself.  Amenorrhea  simply  indicates  some 
disease  of  the  system  and  should  be  looked 
upon  as  a  powerful  aid  to  rein vigo rate  the  body 
not  to  be  fought  as  a  foe.  A  woman  is  not 
healthy  because  she  menstruates  but  in  spite  of 
it." 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         35 

This  corresponds  exactly  with  my  ideas  and 
it  gives  me  joy  to  at  last  find  someone  publish- 
ing it  to  the  world. 

HYGIENE. 

The  true  science  of  hygiene  teaches  us  how 
to  live  so  that  all  our  bodily  functions  may  be 
performed  promptly  and  effectually.  Mankind 
are  born  in  sin  both  moral  and  physical  and  its 
temptations  and  penalties  are  so  deeply  rooted 
in  our  natures  that  they  cannot  at  once  be 
eradicated,  but  it  is  possible  to  greatly  improve 
our  condition  by  correcting  bad  habits  of  living 
and  conforming  to  the  simple  laws  of  nature. 
Those  who  wish  to  get  well  and  stay  well  must 
<3all  to  their  aid  all  of  nature's  physicians — sun- 
shine, air,  food  and  water. 

Pure  air,  the  great  elixir  of  life,  which 
abounds  on  every  side,  will  penetrate  our  homes 
thoroughly  if  we  do  not  use  means  to  prevent 
it.  Ventilators  should  be  placed  near  the  ceil- 
ing so  that  the  cold,  fresh  air  entering  and  fall- 
ing to  the  floor,  and  the  warm  air  rising  to  the 
ceiling  may  be  thoroughly  mixed  and  purified; 
foul  air,  especially  in  sleeping  rooms  may  cause 
many  ills,    it   is  important,  however,   that    you 


36         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

arrange  your  bed  so  not;  to  sleep  in  a  draught. 
It  would  be  easier  to  have  pure  air  in  our  bed 
rooms  if  we  used  loose  rugs  instead  of  carpets 
tacked  down.  Pure  air  and  sunshine  must  have 
perfect  freedom  in  every  room, — they  are 
nature's  disinfectants,  consequently  the  best. 

Food.  —Blood  is  the  life  giving  fluid  to  the 
system  and  the  condition  of  the  blood  depends 
upon  the  selection  and  preparation  of  our  food. 
We  can  never  hope  to  advance  much  so  long  as 
we  are  so  careless  and  ignorant  in  regard  to  the 
proper  kind  of  food.  The  digestibility  of  foods 
depends  largely  upon  the  way  in  which  they  are 
cooked. 

The  cheapest  food  is  that  which  supplies  the 
most  nutriment  to  all  the  different  organs  of  the 
body  at  the  least  cost.  Too  few  of  our  good 
housewives  think  anything  about  the  nutritive 
value  of  foods  when  they  purchase,  and  are 
more  apt  to  judge  the  value  of  the  article  by 
the  price  per  pound. 

Bread,  the  staff  of  life  should  be  made  from 
unbolted  flour  carefully  prepared,  with  little  or 
no  salt,  and  eaten  cold.  Bread  made  from  fine 
white  flour  is  not  so  healthful,  because  much  of 
the  nutriment  which  the  body  needs  is  taken  out. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW-         37 

Good  wholesome  bread  is  of  more  importance 
than  any  other  article  of  diet.  I  would  also 
recommend  the  use  of  unleavened  bread  which 
is  valuable  on  account  of  containing  no  ferment- 
ing properties — will  also  give  a  recipe  as  it  is 
so  little  known.  There  are  several  methods  of 
making  unleavened  bread,  but  the  most  delic- 
ious I  think  is  to  make  gems.  Take  the  whole 
wheat  flour  and  stir  with  ice  cold  milk  to  a  con- 
sistency of  pancake  batter.  Stir  briskly  for 
about  ten  minutes,  till  it  is  perfectly  light  with 
air,  and  then  put  into  very  hot  iron  gem  pans 
and  at  once  into  a  very  hot  oven;  the  success 
depends  upon  quickly  forming  a  brown  crust  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  the  air — bake  twenty-five 
minutes.  Use  no  seasoning — just  milk  or  water 
and  flour. 

All  grains  are  good  for  food  prepared  in  var- 
ious ways;  mush  and  cakes  made  from  oatmeal, 
cornmeal,  samp,  rice,  etc,  are  wholesome  and 
good,  but  must  not  be  spoiled  by  using  lard  and 
spices. 

Most  grains  need  to  be  cooked  for  several 
hours — cracked  wheat  six  hours,  oatmeal  and 
graham  mush  two  or  three  hours.  The  double 
boiler  is  essential  for  cooking  grains,   as  they 


38         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

are  much  more  delicious  if  not  stirred.  Mush 
for  breakfast  might  be  cooked  on  the  previous 
day  and  warmed  in  the  morning. 

Fruits. — Fruits  are  good  for  food  if  properly- 
prepared — not  preserved.  Fruit  should  be  used 
in  its  seasons  and  in  its  natural  state.  Canned 
and  dried  fruits  may  also  be  used. 

Vegetables  are  also  healthful  articles  of 
diet  when  not  prepared  with  meat,  grease,  vine- 
gar, pepper,  etc. ,  but  use  sweet  cream  and  a 
little  salt.  Eggs,  cheese  and  butter  may  be 
used  moderately,  It  is  better  to  use  butter 
while  it  is  yet  in  the  cream.  Nuts  and  milk 
are  also  good  for  food.  If  cake  or  pie  must  be 
used  make  them  with  cream,  do  not  use  lard  at 
all.  Lard  may  well  be  called  shortening  because 
it  shortens  life.  No  preparation  is  good  from 
the  frying  pan,  food  shriveled  up  in  hot  grease 
is  almost  impervious  to  the  juices  of  digestion. 

When  anything  sour  is  needed  use  the  pure 
lemon  juice,  but  no  vinegar. 

Sugar  should  be  used  very  moderately.  Avoid 
all  stimulating  and  irritating  substances,  coffee, 
tea,  beer,  wine,  (except  new  wine  not  fermented) 
chocolate,  cocoa,  vinegar,  pepper,  mustard  and 
all  spices,  most  of    these  contain  little  or    no 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         39 

nourishment  whatever,  and  are  irritating  to  the 
delicate  membrane   lining  the  internal  organs. 

Meat.—  I  do  not  advise  the  eating  of  meat  of 
any  kind.  I  think  it  has  a  tendency  to  nourish 
and  develop  the  lower  and  gross  nature  in  man, 
to  produce  strong  animal  passions,  and  gives  a 
greater  tendency  to  disease.  I  think  it  should 
be  eaten  only  in  time  of  famine,  excessive  cold 
and  hunger.     (See  Doc.  and  Cov. ) 

I  think  the  constant  killing  of  animals  either 
for  food  or  for  pleasure,  has  an  influence  to  a 
marked  degree  upon  the  minds  of  our  children 
and  contributes  to  the  development  of  the  hard 
and  cruel  nature  of  mankind.  It  really  seems 
inconsistent  for  merciless  man  to  ask  for  mercy. 
As  a  people  we  are  looking  forward  to  a  day  of 
bliss,  when  peace  will  be  restored  ■  between  man 
and  beast  and  we  should  try  with  joy,  not  un- 
willingly, to  prepare  for  that  day,  and  not  kill 
animals  except  for  urgent  need. 

When  and  how  to  eat  is  also  a  matter  of  im- 
portance. The  food  must  be  thoroughly  masti- 
cated, especially  the  grain  and  starch  foods,  so 
that  the  secretions  from  the  salivary  glands  may 
accomplish  their  work.  The  habit  of  bolting  the 
food  into  the  stomach  and  washing  it  down  with 


40         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

hot  or  other  drinks  is  an  insult  to  nature  which 
she  will  surely  avenge.  We  should  have  our 
meals  regularly,  about  three  meals  a  day,  and 
eat  nothing  at  all  between  meals;  the  stomach 
needs  rest  as  well  as  exercise. 

Drinking.— Water  is  the  only  drink  for 
thirst.  Lemonade  made  from  the  fresh  juices 
of  fruits  may  also  be  used.  Drink  whenever 
thirsty,  but  in  moderate  quantities. 

So  long  as  we  have  not  a  correct  understand- 
ing of  food  we  have  little  hope  of  establishing 
purity,  controlling  bad  habits  and  the  lower 
natures  generally. 

No  people  upon  this  earth  have  a  better 
opportunity  to  live  correctly  than  we  as  Latter- 
day  Saints.  We  have  received  divine  counsel 
concerning  this  subject.  God  in  His  mercy  has 
told  us  what  is  good  for  us  and  what  is  not.  He 
did  it  because  He  saw  that  we  in  our  ignorance 
partook  of  many  things  which  would  degenerate 
us,  both  mentally  and  physically,  and  unfit  us 
to  become  instruments  in  His  hands  to  accom- 
plish His  purposes.  I  do  not  think  for  one 
moment  that  God  had  in  view  only  the  physical 
welfare  of  His  children.  If  we  shall  attain  to 
that  glory  which  He  desires  us  to,  and  which  we 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  41 

anticipate,  we  must  certainly  comply  with  the 
conditions  which  will  make  it  possible. 

It  is  a  positive  truth  that  mankind  generally 
gratify  appetites  at  great  moral  and  mental  ex- 
pense. You  know  how  it  is  with  many  people 
regarding  the  Word  of  Wisdom ;  they  construe 
it  to  suit  their  own  appetites.  If  you  ask  one  why 
he  does  not  eat  such  and  such,  "Oh,  I  don't  like 
it,"  just  as  though  we  have  a  right  to  do  on]y 
what  we  by  our  perverted  natures  feel  we  like. 
Some  will  say  if  you  have  used  certain  things 
for  years  you  must  not  stop  entirely,  it  might  be 
injurious.  Why  do  we  doubt  the  counsel  of  God 
and  accept  that  of  mortals?  Who  should  know 
our  needs  better  than  He  who  created  us?  Who 
could  believe  that  if  a  person  given  to  stealing 
during  his  life  was  at  last  convinced  that  it  was 
wrong,  that  it  would  still  be  better  to  keep  on 
stealing  just  a  little  rather  than  stop  entirely? 
It  is  just  on  the  same  principle;  both  commands 
have  been  given  for  our  benefit,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  divine  laws.  In  what  way  is  life  a 
benefit  to  us  if  we  do  not  learn  to  be  strong- 
minded?  Is  not  the  head  set  to  rule  the  body? 
Why  should  we  expect  young  people  or  children 
to  live  nearer  the  line  of  duty  than  we  who  have 


42         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

more  knowledge  and  are  better  acquainted  with 
all  the  conditions  of  life? 

The  Word  of  Wisdom  claims  to  be  adapted  to 
the  weakest  of  all  who  are  or  can  be  called 
Saints.  The  blessings  predicated  upon  the  Word 
of  Wisdom  are  all  that  we  conld  possibly  desire, 
health,  life,  and  superior  intelligence.  Ah! 
blessed  day  when  the  Saints  of  God  will  cheer- 
fully obey  His  laws. 

USES  OF  WATER 

The  office  of  water  in  the  system  is  two-fold. 
It  regulates  heat  and  acts  as  a  carrier.  The 
union  of  oxygen  taken  in  by  the  lungs,  and 
carbon  taken  in  with  the  food  producing  animal 
heat  in  every  part  of  the  body,  is  prevented 
from  excess  by  water  flowing  through  the 
system. 

On  account  of  its  mobility,  water  readily 
passes  through  every  part  of  the  body,  conveying 
the  blood  corpuscles  and  elements  of  nutrition 
through  the  arteries  to  the  various  parts  of  the 
body,  and  also  on  its  return  trip  through  the 
veins  carries  away  the  waste  material,  which  is 
thrown  out  through  the  pores  of  the  skin,  kid- 
neys, and   lungs;    enough   water   also   remains 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         43 

with  the  waste  food  products  to  keep  it  moist 
and  mobile,  so  that  it  can  readily  pass  through 
the  alimentary  canal  and  return  to  the  outside 
of  the  body. 

The  greater  part  of  our  bodies  is  composed  of 
water,  hence  the  great  necessity  of  having  it 
pure. 

While  there  are  other  ways  of  contracting  in- 
fectious diseases,  it  has  also  been  found  that 
drinking  water  containing  seepage  from  privy 
vaults,  barn  yards,  cesspools,  or  carelessly 
thrown  slops,  are  among  the  chief  causes. 

During  the  continuance  of  epidemics,  it  is 
best  to  drink  only  boiled  water.  Wells  should 
be  dug  deep  enough  to  tap  the  under  currents 
(which  are  purer  than  surface  water,  except 
mountain  streams),  and  be  a  safe  distance  from 
drainage  of  any  foul  surface. 

Experience  teaches  us  that  any  time  between 
meals  is  the  proper  time  to  drink.  Nothing 
should  be  drunk  while  eating,  because  the 
digestive  juices  become  diluted  and  are  unable 
to  properly  perform  their  work.  When  the 
supply  of  water  in  our  bodies  runs  low,  nature 
calls  for  more,  but  we  should  not  distend  the 
stomach  with  an  excessive  quantity;  it  will  not 


44         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

quench  thirst  any  quicker,  but  will  dilute  the 
gastric  juice  and  impair  digestion.  Drinking 
with  a  spoon  a  coffee  cupfull  of  hot  water  when 
first  arising  in  the  morning  is  an  excellent  thing 
to  cleanse  and  assist  the  digestive  organs. 

BATHING. 

Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  and 
written  upon  this  subject,  there  are  still  many- 
people  who  are  afraid  of  water.  The  ever  busy 
oil  and  sweat  glands  bringing  refuse  matter  to 
the  surface  of  the  body,  and  the  falling  off  of 
the  outer  skin,  together  with  accumulation  of 
external  dirt,  render  frequent  applications  of 
water  and  soap  a  positive  necessity.  If  nature's 
great  sewer  system  be  obstructed  the  work  of 
purifying  the  blood  and  carrying  off  waste 
matter,  is  thrown  upon  the  internal  organs,  such 
as  the  lungs  and  kidneys.  Most  all  diseases 
are  caused  by  micrscopic  animal  or  vegetable  par- 
asites which  feed  and  breed  upon  dead  or 
decaying  matter  in  the  system — not  upon  living 
tissue— therefore  if  the  body  is  kept  clean  ex- 
ternally and  internally  by  bathing  and  flushing 
the  colon,  there  would  be  no  chance  for  the 
parasites    to    get  located    and    increase.      The 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         45 

time  and  manner  of  bathing  depend  upon  the 
condition  of  the  person  and  the  kind  of  bath. 
Infants  should  be  bathed  daily  in  water  about 
the  temerature  of  72°  but  as  they  grow  older, 
the  water  may  be  a  little  cooler.  Both  warm 
and  cold  baths  are  useful  in  promoting  health 
and  curing  disease,  but  they  must  be  taken 
properly. 

The  turkish  bath  and  vapor  bath  are  useful  in 
conditional  diseases.  The  cold  bath  is  designed 
to  harden  the  system  so  that  one  is  not  affected 
by  changes  of  temperature  or  weather  seasons: 
but  it  must  not  be  used  for  little  children  nor 
old  people,  neither  should  it  be  attempted  while 
a  person  is  cold,  chilly  or  shivering.  People  of 
weak  vitality  should  work  up  to  its  use  gradual- 
ly. The  best  time  to  take  a  bath  is  either  the 
first  thing  in  the  morning  or  about  10  o'clock 
or  just  before  retiring  to  bed.  It  should  not  be 
taken  either  immediately  before  nor  after  a 
meal. 

Warm  Bath. — One  way  of  taking  a  warm 
bath  when  a  bath-tub  is  not  convenient :  make  a 
pair  of  thumbless  mittens,  just  large  enough  to 
slip  over  the  thumb  and  allow  the  hand  to  stretch 
flat,  also  a  large,  rough  towel   and   a   generous 


46         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

supply  of  tepid  water,  and,  of  course,  pure? 
white  soap  and  either  another  towel  or  a  piece  of 
oil-cloth  to  stand  on.  It  is  very  important  to 
have  a  warm  room,  so  that  the  body  may  not  be 
chilled,  when  you  doff  your  garments.  After 
taking  everything  off  stand  on  the  oil  cloth  or 
towel  in  front  of  your  basin,  slip  your  mittens 
on  dip  them  in  the  water,  squeeze  the  drips 
from  the  mittens,  soap  well  and  rub  the  body  all 
over  beginning  at  the  neck  and  ending  with  the 
toes.  Bathing  thus  rests  and  strengthens  the 
tired  body.  The  damp  mits  will  not  only  dry 
the  body  but  it  is  wonderful  the  friction  they 
produce  and  how  they  open  the  pores  of  the 
skin.  Then  dry  with  a  towel  by  patting  the 
body  (not  rubbing)  all  over.  It  is  much  more 
beneficial  to  have  a  little  moisture  on  the  body 
and  dress  immediately,  than  to  rub  it  into  a 
glow  with  a  rough  towel  as  is  generally  recom- 
mended. The  rubbing  should  be  done  on  the 
wet  body,  either  with  the  mittens  above  de~ 
scribed  or  a  coarse  wash  rag  or  the  hand.  The 
moisture  helps  to  the  most  regular,  equal, 
speedy  and  natural  warmth.  A  bath,  especially 
a  cold  one  should  always  be  followed  by  light 
exercise  such  as  doing  chores,  household  duties 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         47 

or  a  brisk  walk  in  the  open  air.  A  warm  bath 
taken  in  a  bath  tnb:  have  in  the  tub  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  warm  water  to  cover  the  whole  body. 
The  water  should  be  from  92°  to  98°  or  the 
normal  temperature  of  the  body.  Then  lie  in 
it  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  minutes.  Have 
cold  water  handy,  stand  up  in  the  tub  and  pour 
the  cold  water  on  the  body  or  wash  it  all  over 
with  the  cold  water,  quickly  rubbing  with  the 
wash  rag  or  mitten  the  meanwhile,  then  wipe  off 
the  excessive  moisture  with  the  wet  rag,  pat  the 
flesh,  dress  and  exercise.  The  cold  douche  or 
wash  should  never  be  ommited,  whenever  warm 
water  is  used. 

Bow  to  Take  a  Cold  Bath.— The  cold 
bath  may  be  taken  in  various  ways.  Those 
who  have  the  luxury  of  a  bath-tub,  after  rub- 
bing the  body  well  with  soap  and  water,  as  be- 
fore recommended,  should  then  quickly  step  into 
the  tub,  and  either  immerse  the  whole  body  un- 
der the  water,  or  sitting  or  kneeling  in  the  water, 
quickly  deluge  and  rinse  the  uniinmersed  por- 
tion with  a  wash  rag  or  wet  towel. 

The  shorter  the  bath  the  better  the  effect.  It 
is  better,  wiser  and  safer  to  remain  one  minute 
n  the  bath  than  four  minutes,  just  long  enough 


48         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

to  rinse  off  the  soap;  then  step  out,  rub  vigor- 
ously with  the  wet  rag,  work  the  muscles,  pat 
the  flesh,  dress  and  exercise  as  before  described. 

An  exception  to  the  above  rule  as  regards 
length  of  time  is  made  in  the  treatment  of  some 
fever  cases,  where  the  bath  is  prolonged  several 
minutes,  for  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  temper- 
ature. 

If  you  have  no  bath-tub,  you  will  have  to 
make  shift  in  the  best  way  possible  with  a  wash- 
tub  or  wash-basin  and  wet  towel  or  the  before 
described  mitten. 

WET  PACKS  OE  BANDAGES 

Are  excellent  for  both  warming  and  cooling 
purposes  in  the  treatment  of  pain  or  disease. 
As  for  instance,  the  bandage  for  throat  trou- 
bles, the  chest  bandage  for  lung  troubles, 
and  the  sheet  pack  for  fever.  First  apply 
the  wet  cloth  to  the  afflicted  part,  then  cover  it 
with  several  thickesses  of  dry  flannel,  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  exclude  all  air  from  the  wet  cloth 
underneath.  Great  care  must  be  taken  to  thus 
hermetically  seal  the  wet  cloth  with  the  outer 
wrap.  This  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  The 
bandage  should  be  removed  as  often  as  it  get 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         49 

dry,  until  relief  is  obtained.  When  taken  off 
for  the  last  time,  sponge  off  the  part  with  cold 
water. 

The  Wet  Sheet  Pack  is  a  most  effective 
method  for  removing  morbid  matter  from  the 
system,  and  has  a  drawing  tendency.  It  should 
always  be  preceded  by  an  internal  bath  to 
cleanse  out  the  bowels.  Spread  over  the  bed  or 
cot  two  or  more  heavy  comfortables,  over  these 
a  pair  of  blankets;  then,  if  for  a  person  of 
strong  vitality,  wring  a  sheet  out  of  cold  water 
just  dry  enough  not  to  drip,  and  spread  it  over 
the  blanket;  ]ay  the  patient,  stripped  of  all  cloth- 
ing on  the  sheet  with  his  arms  by  his  sides,  tuck 
the  sheet  around  him,  then  the  blankets  and 
comfortables,  leaving  his  head  out,  but  tucking 
it  close  around  the  neck  and  over  his  feet,  making 
a  mummy  of  him,  so  to  say.  If  the  head  is  hot  or 
aches,  apply  a  towel  around  wrung  from  cold 
water,  and  renew  it  as  often  as  it  gets  warm.  To 
the  feet  apply  a  jug  of  hot  water.  Let  him  be 
in  the  pack  from  twenty  to  forty  minutes,  or 
even  longer  if  he  is  comfortable.  He  will  soon 
get  warm  and  sweat  freely.  This  is  the  end  de- 
sired. If  he  goes  to  sleep,  as  is  often  the  case, 
don't  be  in  a  hurry  to  wake    him   up.     He  will 


50         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

take  no  harm  so  long  as  he  keeps  warm.  See  that 
there  is  plenty  of  fresh  air  in  the  room.  When 
he  has  been  in  the  pack  a  sufficient  length  of 
time,  close  the  windows,  then  take  him  out  and 
wash  him  down  thoroughly  with  soap  and  soft, 
tepid  water;  then  sponge  off  with  cooler  water, 
rubbing  him  down  vigorously  and  working  the 
flesh  the  meanwhile.  If  not  too  weak,  he  should 
assist  in  this  operation.  Then  dry  off  by 
patting  the  skin  with  the  towel,  not  rubbing, 
leaving  a  little  moisture  on  the  skin.  Before  and 
during  the  pack,  let  him  have  all  the  cold  water 
he  wants  to  drink,  in  small  quantities  at  a  time. 
If  the  patient  has  but  little  vitality,  wring  the 
sheet  out  of  tepid  instead  of  cold  water. 

CAEE  OF  THE  TEETH. 

If  we  wish  to  preserve  our  teeth,  we  must  not 
deprive  them  of  their  lawful  work,  nor  bring 
them  in  contact  with  extremely  hot  or  cold  food, 
which  may  crack  the  enamel  and  cause  decay. 
They  must  be  kept  clean  and  free  from  decay  - 
ing  particles  of  food,  with  brushes  and  wooden 
toothpicks  and  only  clean,  pure  water. 

I  believe  that  our  teeth,  being  composed  of 
the  hardest  substance  in   the  body,  should  be 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         51 

last  to  give  way  if  they  were  properly  cared  for 
and  nourished. 

CAEE  OF  THE  HAIE. 

It  is  specially  important  that  the  hair  of 
females  be  combed,  brushed  and  aired  every 
day,  in  addition  to  its  bathing. 

THE  EYE. 

We  should  be  careful  not  to  strain  our 
eyes  by  night  work  or  study.  If  you  must 
use  lamplight,  prevent  a  glare  of  it  from 
coming  directly  to  the  eyes.  Do  not,  at  any 
time,  lie  down  and  read. 

WOEK. 

Work  or  exercise,  both  mental  and  physical, 
are  essential  to  health.  All  work  should  be  ar- 
ranged systematically,  so  there  would  be  oppor- 
tunity for  labor  and  study  each  day. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  work  that  women 
are  doing  which  are  too  hard  for  them,  thereby 
injuring  their  health:  lifting,  clerking,  washing 
and  dancing  for  many  hours. 

Excessive  work  is  usually  attended  with  wor 


52  WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD   KNOW. 

ry.  Worry  is  one  great  destroyer  of  health r 
while  recreation  is  essential  to  health. 

Novel  reading  is  detrimental  to  health  and 
morals;  it  weakens  the  mind  and  destroys  the 
memory. 

Late  hours,  either  for  work,  study  or  pleas- 
ure, contribute  largely  to  ill  health,  peevishness 
and  insomnia.  Nature  requires  regular  sleep — 
about  eight  or  nine  hours,  and  at  least  three  or 
four  before  midnight. 

DEESS. 

The  soul  needs  the  freest  environments  to  en- 
courage its  fullest  expression.  There  can  be  no 
perfect  health,  no  perfectly  developed  muscles, 
and  no  grace  of  carriage  in  the  body  that  is  re- 
stricted by  clothing. 

Throughout  all  people  there  is  a  natural  de- 
sire for  beauty,  but  owing  to  perverted  tastes 
we  find  false  ideas  and  standards  of  beauty. 
"Fashion  is  not  beauty,  fashion  is  fleeting, 
Beauty  is  eternal,  its  essential  qualities  never 
change."  I  believe  it  is  our  duty  to  preserve 
our  youth  and  beauty  as  long  as  possible. 

All  clothing  from  neck  to  foot  must  be  in  one 
piece  and  hang  from  the  shoulders,   and  loose 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         53 

enough  to  allow  the  fullest  breathing.  Any  gar- 
ment that  causes  pink  creases  in  the  flesh  is  too 
tight  to  allow  that  perfect  freedom  which  in- 
sures grace. 

All  colored  material  contains  more  or  less 
poison;  hence  white  should  always  be  worn 
next  to  the  body.  It  should  also  be  woolen  for 
all  seasons  (thinner,  of  course  for  summer),  as  it 
preserves  a  more  even  temperature  and  is  a  good 
ventilator,  i.  e.  it  allows  a  more  perfect  exit  for 
impurities  from  the  system  and  provides  a  more 
perfect  inlet  for  fresh  air  to  the  body. 

Clothing  should  be  light  (not  heavy),  warm 
and  comfortable.  The  extremities  should  be  well 
dressed  in  cold  weather.  Especial  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  dressing  of  the  feet.  We 
have  all  noticed  how  the  body  can  be  thrown 
out  of  pitch  and  balance  by  high  heels  and  also 
by  sore  and  painful  corns  and  bunions  (caused 
by  pressure),  destroying  the  spring  of  the  toes, 
neither  do  they  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  coun- 
tenance. 

Pain  or  injury  of  any  part  mars  the  whole. 
Is  it  not  true  that  the  wearing  of  that  destroy- 
ing garment  we  call  corset  has  caused  many  a 
bright,  intelligent  woman  to  be  carried  to  an  un- 


54         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

timely  grave,  and  more  to  eke  out  a  miserable 
existence  ? 

The  heathens  in  their  false  idea  of  beauty, 
compressing  the  feet  or  flattening  the  forehead 
(which  has  always  been  a  subject  of  derision  by 
enlightened  people)  have  displayed  more  wis- 
dom, or  perhaps  better  to  say,  done  less  harm, 
than  have  the  civilized  nations  by  their  mode 
of  deformity. 

There  is  positively  no  waist  line  in  the  con- 
tour of  a  natural  body.  It  is  not  possible  for 
corsets  to  reduce  flesh,  but  will  crowd  it  up  and 
down,  causing  the  waist  line  to  become  smaller, 
the  shoulders  higher  and  square,  the  hips  and 
abdomen  larger,  destroying  both  health  and 
beauty.  Beauty  is  dependent  upon  health  in 
every  particular.  The  corset  either  hinders  the 
action  or  causes  displacement  of  every  organ  in 
the  trunk  of  the  body,  and  what  can  we  hope  to 
make  of  such  deformity? 

The  following  excellent  essay  by  an  artist  was 
written  in  support  of  my  work: 

DRESS. 

Harmony  is  the  rhetoric  of  form  and  color. 
That  which  embodies  perfect  harmony  in  line 
and   color  is  a    correct    expression  of    beauty. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         55 

Beauty  is  truth,  hence  of  eternal  and  divine 
source.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  opinion  or  taste, 
but  it  is  governed  by  law.  Those  laws  are  man- 
ifest in  all  of  God's  creations.  From  them  man 
learns  the  principles  of  beauty  and  harmony. 
The  human  form  in  its  perfect  state  is  the  high- 
est ideal  of  beauty;  the  male  expressing  power 
and  strength,  and  the  female  poetry  and  grace. 
Each  is  adapted  for  its  respective  purpose  or 
mission.  The  former  is  wider  at  the  shoulders 
than  at  the  hips,  the  latter  about  the  same  width 
at  each  point,  the  shoulders  slightly  more  slop- 
ing. The  outline  of  the  body  is  made  up  of 
beautiful  gentle  outward  curves,  blending  into 
each  other  like  sweet  strains  of  music.  Every 
muscle  and  organ  is  for  a  purpose.  Alterations 
or  misplacements  of  any  of  those  organs  or 
muscles  through  accident,  continuous  pressure, 
improper  clothing  or  imperfect  exercise  mars 
the  harmony  and  grace  of  action  of  the  entire 
body. 

It  must  be  very  much  displeasing  to  the  Lord 
that  His  children,  especially  the  daughters  of 
Zion,  permit  those  beautifully  designed  bodies  of 
theirs  to  be  distorted  and  physically  disqualified 


56         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

by  that  terrible  enemy  of  beauty  of  form  and 
grace  of  vesture — Fashion. 

It  is  either  through  ignorance  of  the  laws  and 
principles  which  govern  the  beautiful,  or  lack  of 
stamina,  independence  and  stability  of  charac- 
ter that  the  daughters  of  God  throughout  nearly 
all  of  the  Christian  nations  have  become  such 
inveterate  slaves  on  this  subject.      I  feel  loth  to 
point  out  some  of  the  silly  and  hurtful  things 
Fashion  prescribes,  but  duty  calls  for  it.     The 
crowning  evidence  of  its  origin  is  the  falsely 
shaped  mold   of  the  torso,  called  corset.     This 
well-known  instrument  is  stiffened  with  whale- 
bone so  that  it  can  more  thoroughly  accomplish 
the  deformity  his  Satanic   Majesty   intended  it 
for.     So    effectually  has  this  end    been  accom- 
plished that  we  often  hear  mothers  say  that  they 
could  not  support  their  bodies  erect  without  its 
use,    proving    that    the    muscles     which    sup- 
port   and  give  strength  to    that    part  of    the 
body  have  become  unfit  for  the  mission  the  Cre- 
ator designed  them  for.    The  exquisite  harmony 
of  the  outlines  are  broken,  and  woman  can  no 
longer  assume  that  dignified  bearing  and  grace- 
ful action. 

They  say  that  the  drudgery  of  housework  has 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  57 

made  them  round  shouldered  and  unshapely. 
Not  so,  sister!  The  corset  and  the  heels  on  your 
shoes  have  done  it.  Yes,  the  heel  is  ar other 
calamity  Fashion  imposes  on  its  slaves.  (Several 
thicknesses  of  sole  leather  under  the  heel  is  in- 
tended to  throw7  the  equilibrium  of  the  body 
and  various  organs  thereof  out  of  kilter.  There 
is  a  moral  in  the  fact  that  these  two  things  men- 
tioned here  never  change  for  better  or  worse, 
but  always  stay  with  it.  In  other  respects  the 
old  dame  keeps  on  poking  fun  at  good  taste  and 
reason,  first  one  way  and  then  another.  At 
one  time  she  dons  a  prominent  bend  out  on  the 
rear,  to  which  she  gives  the  classical  name  of 
"Grecian  bend."  Just  as  soon  as  her  victims 
agree  that  it's  "very  nice,"  and  every  woman  in 
Christendom  lias  devoted  considerable  attention 
to  cotton  wadding  and  wire  cages  to  outdo  each 
other  in  extent,  she  orders  a  change  at  head- 
quarter-. This  time  the  stuffing  is  discarded  and 
a  stree,  sweeper  is  hitched  on  to  the  skirt  to 
gather  in  the  tobacco  quids  and  cigar  stubs. 
Extremities  are  ornamented  (?)  after  the  fashion 
of  the  unsheared  extremities  of  a  sheared  poo- 
dle. 

Lately  Dame  Fashion  manifests  a  disposition 


58         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

for  the  "female  form  divine,"  and  patterns  after 
that  of  her  brother.  The  ingenious  thing  accom- 
plished this  by  the  loading  of  great  puffs  on  the 
shoulders,  after  a  manner  that  resembles  a  Ven- 
etian gondola,  the  head  representing  the  passen- 
ger cabin.  Now,  woman  is  much  wider  at  the 
shoulders  than  at  the  hips,  like  her  brother.  No 
telling  what  will  happen  next.  As  an  artist  I 
would  advise  my  sisters  to  study  the  various 
works  of  great  painters  and  sculptors,  such  as 
"Queen  Louise,"  by  Richter;  "The  Three 
Fates,"  by  Thurrmann,"  "Titians,"  "Sacred 
and  Profane  Love;''  the  "Venus  de  Milo;" 
"Venus  di  Medici;"  "  Greek  Slave,"  etc.,  and 
learn  the  true  standard  of  beauty,  and  then 
bring  your  body  to  that  standard  by  physical 
culture.  Free  yourselves  from  the  shackles  of 
fashion,  and  at  least  allow  your  bodies  their 
natural  growth.  One  cannot  well  explain  the 
points  to  be  observed  in  dressing  artistically  and 
comfortably  without  illustrations.  There  are 
a  few  general  rules,  however,  to  be  observed. 

1st.  Conform  your  dress  to  the  general  de- 
sign and  contour  of  the  figure.  Skirts  should 
not  be  separate  from  waists  as  that  indicates  a 
division.     The  body  is  not  divided. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         59 

2nd.  Do  not  permit  the  dress  to  assert  itself 
before  the  wearer ;  decorations  should  always 
be  sub  to  the  thing  decorated. 

3rd.  Have  no  buttons  unless  they  serve  a 
purpose. 

4th.  All  gowns  should  be  supported  from  the 
shoulders. 

5th.  Color  of  fabrics  should  harmonize  with 
the  color  of  the  hair  and  eyes,  hence  primary 
and  secondary  colors  are  in  bad  taste,  being  in- 
harmonious with  the  hair  and  eyes.  Select 
tertiary  tints. 

John  Hafen. 

PEEPAEATION  FOE  MAEEIAGE. 

Pray  do  not  expect  a  description  of  prepara- 
tion for  wedding  ceremonies,  etc ,  manners  and 
customs  widely  differ  in  different  nations  and 
are  only  of  minor  importance;  the  points  I  wish 
to  consider  are  those  which  affect  woman  gen- 
erally— her  physical  condition,  her  moral  and 
intellectual  development,  her  knowledge  of 
woman's  life-work. 

It  has  been  an  injury  to  the  race  to  allow, 
yes  even  encourage  girls  to  marry  before  they 


60         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

are  matured  (which  in  our  country  is  at  the  age 
of  about  twenty).  Size  alone  does  not  indicate 
maturity.  It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  a 
young  girl  entering  the  matrimonial  state  and 
not  having  finished  her  physical  growth,  can 
furnish  nutriment  for  her  own  growing  body 
and  also  that  of  an  infant.  The  labors  of  ma- 
ternity will  overtax  an  undeveloped  body.  It  is 
true  there  are  exceptions,  but  generally  speak- 
ing, such  mothers  are  puny  and  sickly  and  will 
fade  away  early. 

The  great  majority  of  women  marry  because 
they  desire  the  association  and  companionship 
of  the  one  they  love,  giving  little  or  no  thought 
to  the  commands  of  Him  who  instituted  mar- 
riage, and  this  gives  rise  to  the  condition  we 
find  so  prevalent  today — the  desire  of  being  a 
wife  but  not  a  mother.  Of  course,  women  are 
not  alone  to  blame,  there  are  so  many  things 
wrong  in  this  world.  Who  can  blame  a  girl  for 
seeking  in  some  way  to  avoid  the  sorrow,  mis- 
ery, poverty  and  cruelty  that  many  women  have 
had  to  endure?  The  other  extreme  is  the  but- 
terflies of  fashion,  who  wish  to  avoid  mother- 
hood as  it  interferes  with  their  so-called  notions 
of  freedom  and  pleasure. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         61 

A  daughter's  education  should  consist  of  a 
knowledge  of  the  functions  and  proper  care  of 
her  own  body,  the  proper  care  and  development 
of  her  offspring,  besides  all  the  intellectual 
progress  to  which  she  can  possibly  attain. 

The  preparation  for  marriage  is  equally  im- 
portant for  males.  There  is  such  a  gulf  be- 
tween the  sexes,  the  one  not  knowing  the  needs 
of  the  other.  Is  it  not  necessary  that  a  man 
should,  in  taking  a  wife,  being  her  leader,  know 
how  to  properly  treat  her,  when  his  happiness 
and  success  in  life  depend  so  much  upon  his 
helpmeet?  Today,  when  they  enter  into  mar- 
riage, they  are  entire  strangers  to  the  obliga- 
tions and  duties  of  such  relationship. 

Love  is  a  very  essential  element  to  happiness 
but  it  must  be  controlled  by  reason.  True  love 
results  from  doing  right. 

MAEEIED  LIFE. 

Marriage  is  a  proper  union  of  the  sexes;  the 
necessity  of  which  is  evident  as  it  came  by  com- 
mand of  God,  and  it  is  calculated  to  bring  the 
greatest  happiness  to  mankind  throughout  time 
and  eternity. 

The  object  of  marriage  is  to  fulfill  the  righteous 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

purposes  of  our  Father  in  heaven,  in  preparing 
a  garment  of  flesh  in  which  the  spirits  of  God's 
children  can  dwell  in  probation.  It  seems  that 
this  life  of  probation  is  necessary,  in  order  to 
promote  the  knowledge  and  happiness  of  the 
life  eternal,  hence  all  spirits  must  be  tabernacled 
in  flesh  to  become  acquainted  with  sorrow,  sin 
and  death,  and  thereby  will  be  enabled  to  fully 
enjoy  thevcontrast. 

"Mysterious  birth, 
Entrance  to  death  and  pain; 
Mysterious  death, 
Portal  to  life  again." 

The  whole  race  has  degenerated  until  a 
knowledge  of  nature  and  purity  is  almost  en- 
tirely lost,  but  the  restoration  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  embraces  all  knowledge  and  will 
prepare  us  for  His  presence,  if  we  abide  its 
principles.  One  of  its  most  beautiful  princi- 
ples is  purity  of  married  life,  the  necessity  of 
which  will  be  plainly  seen  as  we  study  each 
subject  in  this  little  book. 

Instead  of  happiness,  marriage  has,  in  many 
instances,  brought  the  greatest  misery.  How 
terribly  has  this  holy  institution  been  demoral- 
ized and  put  to  an  open  shame!     I  do  not  pre- 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         63 

tend  to  give  any  specified  explanation  of  married 
life,  but  I  do  wish  to  bring  up  some  points  re- 
lating to  one  of  the  objects  of  teaching  classes, 
viz.,  to  prove  to  you  the  greatest  cause  for 
woman's  low  physical  condition  of  today.  I 
will  speak  only  of  sexual  laws. 

God  has  endowed  His  children  with  procrea- 
tive  powers,  which  is  one  of  the  greatest  gifts 
of  mortal  life  and  fraught  with  the  greatest  re- 
sponsibility. This  power  was  given  to  man  for 
one  purpose  only:  the  purpose  of  reproduction, 
and  the  reproductive  elements  should  be  kept 
within  certain  divine  laws,  of  which  God  Him- 
self is  the  author.  I  understand  it  is  a  general 
belief  that  there  can  be  no  sexual  sin  committed 
in  married  life,  that  the  parties  have  a  God- 
given  right  to  associate  together  in  sexual  con- 
gress as  often  as  passion  demands.  What  a 
serious  mistake! 

If  anything  can  be  physically  wrong,  how  can 
it  be  morally  right?  During 'the  past  thirty- 
one  years  of  my  life,  through  the  experience  of 
practical  work  in  my  profession  as  an  obstet- 
rician, I  have  come  in  contact  with  the  sad  re- 
sults of  sinful  acts,  evils  which  are  the  out- 
growth of  ignorance  and  sin,  and  can  positively 


64         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

prove  that  physical  sin  can  be  committed  in 
married  life,  through  undue  sexual  relations  of 
husband  and  wife  to  the  extent  that  health  is 
injured,  offspring  is  destroyed,  even  to  the  risk 
of  life.  Is  it  true  that  such  sins  are  only  phys- 
ical sins?     And  are  physical  sins  no  sin? 

LAW  OF  CONTINENCE. 

It  is  my  firm  belief  that  the  abuse  of  the  re- 
productive element  in  man  is  the  great  under- 
lying cause  of  much  of  the  sickness,  suffering 
and  premature  death  of  mankind-  There  is  no 
other  law  connected  with  the  directing  and  gov- 
erning of  the  human  body  or  soul  that  so  affects 
the  individual  welfare,  happiness  and  success  in 
life  as  does  the  law  of  continence  and  for  this 
reason  it  deserves  all  the  thought  and  argument 
that  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon  it. 

The  exercise  of  the  procreative  powers  is 
allowed  only  within  the  bonds  of  sacred  marriage 
relationship;  but  even  there  it  should  be  con- 
trolled within  the  limits  of  sacred  natural  laws. 
Nature  seems  to  indicate  that  those  powers 
should  never  be  exercised  except  when  offspring 
is  desired,  and  when  both  husband  and  wife  are 
in  a  healthy  and  pure  condition,  physically  and 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         65 

spiritually.  Offspring  should  not  come  by  chance. 
We  know  there  are  multitudes  that  know- 
ingly break  the  laws  that  should  govern  their 
bodies,  yet  the  majority  of  mankind  need  but 
knoiv  these  laws  to  endeavor  to  follow  them.  For 
ages  men  anS  women  have  entered  the  marriage 
relation  and  perhaps  have  lived  a  long  life  with- 
out any  knowledge  whatever  concerning  them- 
selves or  the  needs  of  their  children.  Oh  blessed 
day  when  intelligence  shall  be  so  great  that  it 
will  be  considered  an  honor  for  young  and  old 
to  become  acquainted  with  nature's  works  and 
live  proper  lives  in  this  most  sacred  relation- 
ship. 

CONCEPTION. 

We  understand  conception  to  mean  the  union 
of  the  germ-cell  and  the  spermatic  fluid,  wThich 
may  take  place  either  in  the  uterus,  fallopian 
tubes,  or  in  the  ovary.  When  should  it  take 
place? 

Conception  should  take  place  only  when  both 
parents  are  in  a  healthy  condition,  free  from  any 
contaminating  influence  and  have  a  loving  desire 
for   offspring.     Conception   should   never   take 


66  WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

place  when  a  woman  is  nursing  a  child,  for  both 
the  nursing  child  and  the  new  being  under  de- 
velopment will  be  injured  by  it.  After  a  mis- 
carriage or  birth  of  a  still  born  child  conception 
should  not  again  take  place  for  a  year  or  two 
according  to  the  condition  of  the  woman's 
health. 

CHANGES   TAKING   PLACE   AFTER 
FECUNDATION. 

The  uterus,  as  we  have  heard,  receives  a 
greater  amount  of  blood  supply  from  the  system 
and  prepares  to  be  a  suitable  dwelling  place  for 
the  impregnated  germ.  Its  muscles  and  fibres 
enlarge ;  its  walls  get  thicker  and  its  internal  lin- 
ings become,  we  might  say,  velvety.  The  folds 
mucus  membrane  become  thicker,  and  between 
two  of  them  the  little  impregnated  germ  is  buried, 
the  ciliated  substances  of  the  membranous 
folds  grow  over  and  envelop  it  in  its  careful 
embrace. 

Thus  it  is  secured,  if  nothing  is  done  to  dis- 
turb or  destroy  its  delicate  home.  The  spot 
where  it  is  connected,  underneath  to  the  uterine 
wall,  is  the  place  where  the  future  placenta  is 
formed,  the  connecting  link  between  mother  and 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 


67 


Formation  of  decidua  vera, 

which  is  represented 

by  black  coloring. 


Formation  of  folds  of  decidua 

reflexa  growing  up 

around  ovum. 


Joining  of  folds  of  desidua  reflexa  around  ovum,  and  thicken- 
ing of  decidua  serotina  where  the  placenta  will  develop. 


68         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

child  during  the  whole  period  of  pregnancy.  At 
the  end  of  the  third  month  the  placenta  is  per- 
fectly formed  and  also  at  the  same  time  the 
foetal  body  is  complete  in  its  whole  structure. 

After  fecundation  the  growth  of  the  egg  is 
very  rapid.  On  the  tenth  day  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  semi-transparent,  grayish  flake. 
On  the  twentieth  day  it  is  nearly  the  size  of  a 
pea,  filled  with  fluid,  in  the  middle  of  which 
will  be  seen  a  little  darker  spot  presenting  the 
first  appearance  of  an  embryo  which  may  be 
clearly  seen  as  a  little  curved  body  plainly  vis- 
ible to  the  naked  eye.  Its  weight  would  be 
about  three  grains,  its  length  from  four  to  five 
lines.  On  the  thirtieth  day  a  little  larger,  al- 
most resembling  a  worm  bent  together.  There 
are  as  yet  no  limbs  and  the  head,  or  beginning 
of  the  h§ad,  is  larger  than  the  rest  of  the  body. 
Stretched  out  it  would  be  nearly  half  an  inch 
long.  Towards  the  fifth  week  the  head  increases 
greatly  in  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  body 
and  the  eyes  are  indicated  by  two  black  spots 
turned  toward  the  side,  and  the  heart  exhibits  ex- 
ternal form  closely  resembling  that  of  an  adult's. 
In  the  seventh  week  bone  begins  to  form  in  the 
lower   jaw,    and  clavicle.       Narrow   streaks   on 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         69 

each  side  of  the  vertebral  column  show  the  be. 
ginning  of  ribs,  the  heart  is  perfecting  its  form, 
the  brain  enlarges,  the  eyes  and  ears  are  grow- 
ing more  perfect,  and  the  limbs  sprouting  from 
the  body.  The  lungs  are  mere  little  sacks  about 
one  line  in  length,  but  the  liver  is  very  large. 
At  two  months  the  forearm  and  hand  can  be 
distinguished,   but   not  the  arm;    the   hand   is 


Human  ovum,  with  contained  embryo,  about  the  end  of 
third  week. 

larger  than  the  forearm,  but  is  not  supplied  with 
fingers;  the  distinction  of  sex  is  yet  difficult. 
The  eyes  are  prominent,  the  lids  do  not  cover 
the  eyeballs;  the  nose  forms  a  little  eminence 
the  nostrils  are  rounded  and  separated,  the 
mouth  is  gaping.  The  embryo  is  from  one  and 
a  half  to  two  inches  long  and  weighs  from  three 
to   five  drachms,  the  head  forming   more  than 


70         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

one-third  of  the  whole.  At  from  sixty  to  sev- 
enty days  the  development  is  rapid  and  all  the 
parts  are  in  progressive  formation.  The  eyes 
enlarge,  the  nose  grows  prominent,  the  mouth 
enlarges,  the  external  ear  is  formed,  the  neck 
well  defined,  and  the  heart  fully  developed.  At 
the  end  of  three  months  the  eye-lids  are  dis- 
tinct but  shut;  the  lips  are  drawn  together;  the 
forehead  and  nose  are  clearly  traceable,  and  the 
organs  of  generation  are  prominent  in  both 
sexes.  The  heart  beats  with  force;  the  fingers 
and  toes  are  well  defined;  muscles  begin  to  be 
developed,  and  the  foetus  is  four  or  five  inches 
in  length  and  weighs  from  two  to  four  ounces. 

At  the  fourth  month  the  embryo  takes  the 
name  of  foetus;  its  growth  is  not  so  rapid  in 
the  commencement  as  at  the  end  of  this  month. 
The  body  is  six  to  eight  inches  in  length  and 
weighs  from  seven  to  eight  ounces.  The  face 
still  remains  but  little  developed  although  more 
elongated  than  it  has  previously  been. 

The  eyes,  nostrils  and  mouth  are  closed;  the 
skin  has  a  rosy  color,  and  the  muscles  now  pro- 
duce a  sensible  motion. 

A  foetus  born  at  this  period  may  live  for  sev- 
eral hours.     At  five   months  the  length  of   the 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  7 

foetus  is  eight  to  ten  inches  and  its  weight  from 
eight  to  eleven  ounces.  At  six  months,  the 
length  is  from  eleven  to  twelve  and  a  half  inches 
and  the  weight  about  one  pound.  The  hair  ap- 
pears upon  the  head,  the  eyes  closed,  the  eye- 
lids somewhat  thicker  and  their  margins  as  well 
as  the  eye-brows  are  studded  with  very  delicate 
hair. 

At  seven  months  every  part  has  reached  per- 
fection; the  bony  system  is  nearly  complete; 
length  twelve  to  fourteen  inches;  weight  two 
and  a  half  to  three  pounds.  If  born  at  this  per- 
iod the  foetus  is  able  to  breathe,  cry  and  nurse, 
and  may  live  to  grow  up  if  properly  cared  for. 
It  is  frequently  too  feeble  to  endure  to  be  either 
washed  or  dressed,  and  must  necessarily  sleep 
nearly  the  whole  time  except  for  the  short 
period  required  for  the  taking  of  its  food.  Its 
power  of  generating  heat  within  itself  is  also 
extremely  feeble;  it  should  therefore  be  wrapped 
in  a  warm,  soft  flannel  blanket  and  placed  in  a 
warm,  comfortable  place  in  order  that  the  neces- 
sary heat  may  be  imparted  to  it. 

At  eight  months  the  foetus  seems  to  grow 
rather  in  thickness  than  in  length.  It  is  only 
sixteen  to  eighteen   inches  long  and  yet  weighs 


72         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

from  four  to  five  pounds.  The  skin  is  very 
red  and  covered  with  down  and  considerable 
quantity  of  sebacious  matter;  the  lower  jaw 
which  was  at  first  very  short,  is  now  as  long;  as 
the  upper  one.  Finally  at  full  term  the  foetus 
is  from  nineteen  to  twenty-three  inches  long 
and  weighs  from  six  to  nine  pounds.  The  skin 
performs  the  function  of  perspiration. 

PEEGNANCY. 

That  period  in  a  woman's  life  from  concep- 
tion to  the  time  of  delivery  is  called  pregnancy. 
Its  duration  is  forty  weeks  if  not  interrupted. 
It  is  as  natural  for  a  woman  to  bear  children  as 
for  a  tree  to  bear  fruit. 

Signs. — There  are  certain  signs  which,  if  ob- 
served, will  lead  us  to  know,  whether  or  not,  a 
woman  is  pregnant,  but  I  do  not  refer  to  those 
signs  which  result  from  unnatural  and  artificial 
lives.  The  natural  signs  are  simply  changes 
that  must  of  necessity  take  place.  First:  the 
cessation  of  the  menses.  When  conception 
takes  place  parts  and  passions  go  to  rest  (should 
do)  —there  is  no  ovulation  nor  menstruation, 
because  what  would  have  been  menstrual  blood 
in  the  absence  of  impregnation,  is  now   appro- 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  73 

riated  to  the  support  of  the  reproductive  or- 
gans and  the  development  of  the  ovum. 

Signs  in  the  breasts  also  appear  indicating 
that  pregnancy  exists.  They  become  firmer, 
larger,  and  a  sensation  of  weight  and  prickling 
in  them  may  be  experienced.  The  areola  sur- 
rounding the  nipple  becomes  darker  in  color 
and,  in  some  females,  a  watery  lactescent  fluid 
may  be  oozing  from  the  nipple  early  in  preg- 
nancy. Changes  in  the  shape  and  size  of  the 
abdomen  also  occur.  In  the  first  two  months  it 
becomes  somewhat  flattened  at  hypogastrium 
owing  to  the  sinking  of  the  uterus.  At  the  end 
of  the  third  month  the  uterus  begins  to  rise 
above  the  brim  and  the  abdomen  increases  in 
size  as  pregnancy  advances.  A  marked  change 
may  be  found  by  vaginal  examination.  The  os 
and  cervix  uteri  become  soft  and  the  latter  some- 
what enlarged  early  in  pregnancy.  The  os 
changes  from  its  elongated  fissure  and  becomes 
more  circular. 

About  the  fifth  month  we  find  other  more 
distinct  signs,  viz.,  the  foetal  heart  sound  and 
the  actual  movements  of  the  child. 

Diseases  of  Pregnancy. — In  speaking  of 
the  condition  of   pregnancy   I  think  " diseases" 


74         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

a  wrong  term  to  use,  ou«  that  is  calculated  to 
make  a  person  feel  gloomy  at  the  very  thought 
of  disease  being  connected  with  pregnancy.  We 
know  very  well  that  it  should  not  be  so.  If  a 
woman  is  in  a  normal  condition,  pregnancy  will 
be  the  healthiest  period  of  her  life.  She  will 
be  fall  of  ambition  and  industrial  tendencies, 
for  that  is  in  accord  with  divine  nature — the 
woman  being  in  the  holy  service  of  her  Creator, 
nourishing  and  developing  a  tabernacle,  which 
shall  clothe  the  immortal  spirit  that  He  will  in- 
trust to  her  care.  We  have  strayed  so  far  away 
from  nature's  path,  that  a  normal  condition  is 
rarely  found.  To  enumerate  all  the  so-called 
diseases  to  which  woman  is  subject  in  pregnancy 
would  almost  be  impossible,  the  most  common 
are  toothache,  nausea,  vomiting,  fainting,  con- 
stipation, displacements  of  the  uterus,  etc.  One 
may  well  ask:  What  causes  all  these  afflictions  to 
cling  to  the  pregnant  woman?  Indeed  they 
are  brought  about  in  numerous  ways,  but  above 
all  other  things,  incontinence  brings  the  most 
affliction  to  the  pregnant  woman.  Next, 
I  think,  comes  fashion.  Oh,  what  a  destroyer 
of  woman's  health,  gnawing  at  the  very  core 
which  gives  life  to  the  soul!     Fashion  must  be 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  75 

followed  even  if  it  brings  sin,  sickness  and  death, 
even  if  it  causes  destruction  of  offspring — which 
it  does  to  an  alarming  extent — but  we  must  fol- 
low the  fashion:  fashion  in  eating,  fashion  in. 
dressing,  and  fashion  in  the  very  way  our  preg- 
nant women  are  treated.  When  will  it  be  bet- 
ter? When  will  the  daughters  of  Grod  act 
wiser?  Just  when  they  have  learned  that  there 
are  some  things  grander  for  which  to  live  than 
fashion.  In  regard  to  our  eating  and  drinking: 
oh,  what  a  stop  it  would  put  to  all  "diseases"  of 
pregnancy  and  also  all  other  diseases,  if  women 
would  take  up  an  intelligent  or  scientific  study 
of  food!  How  inconsistent  we  are  as  a  people! 
We  are  a  praying  people,  and  every  day  pray 
for  health  and  strength.  How  often  we  kneel 
around  the  family  altar  in  sacred  prayer  asking 
for  health  to  be  given  us,  and  immediately  arise 
surrounding  a  table  where  we  partake  of  things 
which  in  their  very  nature  cause  sickness  and 
disease!  Well  may  we  ask  God  to  be  merciful 
to  us,  to  show  us  our  weakness  that  we  may  act 
wiser  and  live.     (See  chapter  on  hygiene. ) 

We  have  been  in  degeneracy  ever  since  the 
4'Fall  in  Eden,'1  but  to  us  a  new  era  has  dawned, 
and  even  if  it  was  pronounced  in  that  day :   "  In 


76         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

sorrow  (not  in  pain)  thou  shalt  bring  forth 
children,"  this  curse  will  now  be  removed 
through  obedience  to  the  new  and  everlasting 
covenant,  and  we  will  naturally  ascend.  And 
then  shall  women  in  this  day  bear  children  not 
only  without  pain  but  in  happiness.  Oh,  blessed 
gospel  which  today  opens  our  eyes  to  such 
grandeur  and  deliverance!  Can  we  afford  to 
brood  over  our  existence — can  we  afford  to  be 
subject  to  gloom  and  fretfulness,  like  the  poor 
daughter  of  God  who  has  not  yet  seen  His  sal- 
vation?    Verily  no. 

Diseases  are  no  part  of  pregnancy,  and  just 
as  soon  as  women  learn  to  live  in  harmony  with 
nature,  just  so  soon  will  she  escape  the  ailments 
to  which  she  is  now  subject.  The  ailments  to 
which  we  wish  to  refer  are  disorders  of  the  di- 
gestive system,  and  reproductive  organs,  and 
irritibility  of  the  bladder,  and  our  treatment 
for  them,  as  we  believe  without  drugs  of  any 
kind  but  through  the  application  of  the  water 
treatment  and  the  nutritive  elements  in  our 
food,  cleanliness,  sexual  purity,  pure  air  and 
proper  exercise.  I  have  found  that  the  applica- 
tion of   hot  wet  cloths  (packs)  is   an  excellent 


WHAT    WOMEN     SHOULD    KNOW.  77 

remedy  in  all  local  ailments,  as  is  also  manipu- 
lation by  the  human  hand. 

Pkenatal  Influence.— The  condition  of  a 
woman's  mind  during  pregnancy  is  of  as  much 
importance  as  her  physical  condition.  If  there 
is  ever  a  need  of  self-control  and  contentment  it 
is  during  this  period,  for  every  thought  and 
every  feeling  experienced  by  the  mother  has  a 
direct  influence  upon  the  child.  No  more  sa- 
cred union  ever  exists  than  in  this  holy  combi- 
nation— mother  and  child. 

The  environments  of  the  pregnant  woman,  in 
this  present  reckless  age,  are  such  as  to  hinder 
her  from  accomplishing  her  best  work,  but  she 
must  work  diligently  and  seek  assistance  from 
On  high.  Probably  one  child  in  a  thousand  is 
brought  into  this  world  with  the  mutual  consent 
and  desire  of  both  parents,  who  try  to  live  pure 
lives,  and  the  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
have,  we  might  say,  come  by  chance  and  are 
more  or  less  endowed  with  the  accumulated 
sins  of  the  parents— is  it  any  wonder  that  there 
is  so  much  sin,  sickness,  debauchery,  licentious- 
ness, murder,  suicide  and  premature  death,  and 
so  little  of  purity,  chastity,  success,  godliness, 
happiness  and  long  life  in  this  world? 


<©         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

"  The  reformation  of  the  world,"  says  Prof. 
Covan,  "can  never  be  accomplished,  the  millen- 
nium of  purity,  chastity,  and  intense  happiness 
can  never  reach  the  earth,  except  through  cheer- 
ful obedience  to  prenatal  laws.  All  the  educa- 
tional institutions  in  the  world,  all  the  benevo- 
lent, industrial,  temperance  and  reform  societies, 
and  all  the  divines  in  the  world  working  har- 
moniously together  cannot  do  as  much  in  a  life 
time  of  effort  in  the  elevation  of  mankind,  as 
can  a  mother  in  nine  months  of  prenatal  effort." 

ACCIDENTS   OF  PBEGNANCY. 

Abortion  is  delivery  of  the  foetus  be- 
fore it  is  viable,  i.  e.,  about  seven  months. 
Between  this  time  and  full  term,  discharge  of 
the  ovum  is  called  premature  birth.  Anything 
that  will  cause  death  to  the  foetus  or  provoke 
uterine  contraction  will  cause  abortion.  Me- 
chanical violence  as  blows,  falls,  violent  exertion, 
or  emotional  violence  as  excessive  joy,  fear, 
grief,  anxiety,  anger,  also  administration  of 
drastic  emenagogue,  medicines,  and  from  inten- 
tional disturbance  of  the  ovum  with  instruments, 
are  among  the  many  causes. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  79 

I  think  that  undue  sexual  congress  and  nurs- 
ing cause  more  miscarriages  than  any  other  two 
things;  they  both  produce  uterine  contraction. 
It  is  easy  to  understand  that  at  a  time,  when 
we  wish  the  uterus  to  retain  its  contents  in 
peaceful  repose  we  should  refrain  from  every- 
thing that  brings  on  contractions. 

Signs. — Pain  and  hemorrhage  are  the  symp- 
toms which  if  attended  by  partial  dilatation  of 
os  uteri  are  positive  signs. 

Treatment  of  Thkeatened  Abortion. — Ab- 
solute rest  in  the  recumbent  posture,  perfect 
quietness  of  mind  as  well  as  body;  avoid  all 
stimulants.  The  air  in  the  room  must  be  pure 
and  fresh,  no  more  bed  clothes  than  will  keep 
the  body  the  natural  warmth.  Food  and  drink 
must  not  be  hot,  stimulating  nor  exciting; 
avoid  all  kind  of  medicine;  live  a  strictly  con- 
tinent life;  keep  these  simple,  yet  important 
rules  until  you  feel  perfectly  safe.  If  the  hem- 
orrhage continues  and  the  os  is  dilated,  you 
have  no  hope  of  stopping  it,  the  treatment  will 
be  just  the  s^me,  except  tampon  for  excessive 
homorrhage.  The  tampon  is  a  vaginal  plug, 
consisting,  preferably,  of  discs  of  antiseptic 
cotton,  cheese  cloth  or  gauze.     When  these  are 


80         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

not  at  hand,  pieces  of  old  sheeting,  or  of  a  soft 
towel,  may  be  used.  They  should  first  be  soaked 
in  a  solution  of  weak  carbolic  water.  To  facili- 
tate easy  withdrawal  of  the  tampon,  its  pieces 
may  be  connected  by  a  continuous  string  (like 
the  bits  of  paper  on  a  kite-tail.)  Never  use 
tampon  after  the  uterus  has  expelled  its  con- 
tents. I  have  found  in  my  practice  a  terrible 
misunderstanding  in  regard  to  foetal  life.  Many 
believe  it  is  no  sin  to  produce  abortion  before 
there  is  life,  but  there  is  always  life  from  the 
moment  of  conception.  When  a  woman  is  sub- 
ject to  an  abortion  it  should  be  looked  upon  as 
one  of  the  heaviest  trials  of  her  life.  Accidents 
may  happen,  to  which  we  are  all  liable,  but  the 
carelessness  and  indifference  manifested  in  this 
important  subject  is  perfectly  alarming.  By 
some  it  is  considered  honorable  to  miscarry, 
and  oh,  how  many  abortions  are  brought  about 
through  practices  and  applications  which  are 
called  innocent!  but  still  they  bring  about  the 
fatal  result.  All  this  crime  going  on  and  still 
people  feel  as  though  everything  is  all  right. 
Oh,  how  pitiful  and  sad!  We  have  little  hope 
of  a  better  condition  as  long  as  it  is  looked 
upon  as  being  unnecessary  and  almost  shameful 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         81 

for  either  man  or  woman  to  understand  the 
laws  of  their  own  organization. 

We  hear  lamentations  and  the  most  lovely, 
consoling  words  in  cases  of  losing  offspring 
either  before  birth  or  after,  even  though  we 
may  trace  the  result  back  to  the  cause  and  find 
that  it  has  been  through  gross  ignorance. 

Thousands  of  abortions  occur  as  a  result  of 
obedience  to  fashion,  habits  and  passions.  No- 
where is  that  enemy  of  the  soul  of  man,  so  much 
on  the  alert,  as  with  the  pregnant  woman;  and 
is  it  any  wonder?  Is  there  any  period  where 
more  harm  can  be  done?  Is  not  that  the  time 
when  the  foundation  for  ruination  of  mankind 
is  laid?     Certainly  it  is. 

Foeticide  or  Willful  Abortion  means  the 
destruction  of  the  foetus  while  yet  in  the  uterus. 
It  is  considered  by  some  no  sin  to  destroy  the 
foetus  in  the  early  months.  I  fail  to  see  the 
difference  in  the  crime  to  destroy  offspring  a 
few  days  old  or  nine  months  old.  Some  argue 
this  way:  They  believe  it  a  sin  to  destroy  off- 
spring even  in  the  first  months  of  pregnancy; 
but  not  sin  to  use  means  whereby  to  prevent 
conception,  and  they  take  that  course.  I  feel 
to  say  to  those  who  take  either  the  one  course 


82         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

or  the  other:  What  did  yon  marry  for?  Was 
it  only  to  have  fleshly  passions  and  desires  gra- 
tified? Do  yon  see  no  higher  aim  in  the  mar- 
riage relationship? 

Let  us  for  a  moment  contemplate  the  condi- 
tion of  woman,  especially  those  who  are  tempted 
to  do  these  things.  Is  it  not  true  that  many 
women  have  more  children  than  they  are  really 
able  to  bear,  owing  to  ill  health?  Sometimes 
they  have  husbands  who  neither  care  nor  will 
provide  for  even  the  first  necessities  of  life. 
This  cannot  be  contradicted. 

Also  I  will  say  women,  from  other  causes, 
many  a  time  have  children  too  often.  I  mean 
by  this,  they  found  themselves  in  that  condition 
when  they  were  not  prepared  for  it  at  all. 
Neither  their  mind  nor  their  body  was  in  a  fit 
condition  to  gladly  and  willingly  accept  of  the 
burden  connected  with  motherhood. 

What  is  the  cause  of  such  a  condition,  and 
what  is  the  result?  The  cause  is  one  which  can- 
not be  contradicted,  namely,  that  conception  too 
often  takes  place  by  chance — too  often  when 
woman  neither  expected  nor  desired  it.  We  can 
say  hundreds,  yes  thousands,  of  times  pregnancy 
was  forced  upon  her  as   a  result  of  gratification 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         83 

of  fleshly  passions.     There  was  no  preparation, 
there  was  no  loving  desire  for  offspring. 

What  a  pitiful  condition!  And  then  at  the 
same  time  to  realize  all  this  going  on,  all  viewed 
as  lawful,  God-given  rights!  Oh,  what  a  mis- 
take !  And  how  could  we  wonder  at  the  results  ? 
Who  can  believe  for  one  moment  that  an  action 
performed  as  a  gratification  of  lust  can  claim  as 
its  reward  a  spiritual  blessing?  Let  the  think- 
ing person  answer. 

What  could  we  reasonably  expect  as  a  result 
of  such  practices?  Just  what  we  find  today: 
that  women,  too  many  of  them,  are  desiring  and 
practicing  abortion  and  preventing  conception 
by  unlawful  means.  This  is  an  increasing  evil, 
and  right  at  our  door.  It  cannot  be  hidden 
from  the  close  observer.  Is  it  not  an  evil  that 
woman  desires  to  destroy  her  offspring  or  pre- 
vent herself  from  being  a  mother,  it  may  be 
of  beings  through  whose  existence  in  mortality 
she  might  have  earned  eternal  happiness? 

Is  it  not  an  evil,  that  women  are  carried  to  an 
early  grave  as  a  result  of  that  practice?  Is  it 
not  an  evil,  that  if  death  does  not  always  put  an 
end  to  her  existence,  sickness  and  misery  as  a 
penalty  cling  to  her  as  long  as  life  lasts?     Yes, 


84         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

indeed,  they  are  evils  which  do  not  even  end 
with  this  life,  but  cling  to  their  victims,  for 
allowance,  to  follow  into  eternities. 

We  may  go  still  further  in  contemplating 
these  matters.  It  is  an  understood  fact  that 
many  a  time  mothers,  or  more  properly  women, 
find  themselves  greatly  disappointed  notwith- 
standing their  conscientiousness  in  preventing 
conception,  and  their  many  ways  of  attempting 
abortion,  nevertheless  fail,  and  to  their  great 
surprise  they  find  themselves  still  pregnant. 
Then  how  and  under  what  conditions  does  con- 
ception and  development  of  that  new  being  take 
place?  Poor,  unwelcome  child!  Was  not  even 
the  attempt  of  murder  in  its  nature  stamped 
upon  its  soul?  Can  we  have  any  hope  that  filial 
love  will  be  implanted  in  that  infant?  Did  not 
the  mother  try  to  throw  it  as  far  away  as  pos- 
sible and  by  her  actions  and  condition  of  mind 
under  which  it  develops  has  done  what  she 
could,  not  only  to  throw  it  away  from  her  heart 
but  also  to  form  its  character  under  the  influence 
of  criminal  purposes? 

Oh,  what  a  pitiful  state  of  things!  And  such 
are  the  conditions  under  which  millions  are 
brought  into  existence.     This  is  made  the  foun- 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         85 

dation  of  human  development,  and  with  all  this 
before  our  view  still  we  are  asking,  why  is  it 
that  we  find  so  little  filial  love?  Why  is  it  so 
hard  for  parents  to  control  their  children?  Some 
say,  yes,  such  are  the  conditions  in  the  world. 
I  will  say  in  answer  to  this,  every  one  who  has 
entered  into  the  married  relation,  where  do  you 
stand?  Do  you  find  yourselves  on  the  guiltless 
track?  Happy  are  you!  Blessed  are  you!  Or 
are  you  numbered  with  those  on  the  guilty  track? 
Take  heed  and  repent,  for  the  hour  of  a  just 
God  is  close  at  the  door. 

The  great  and  underlying  causes  for  all  that 
wickedness  is  undoubtedly  that  of  perverted 
amativeness  which,  to  a  great  extent,  is  in- 
herited and  still  developed  farther  through  the 
artificial  lives  of  mankind  in  our  day.  How 
could  we  expect  an  improved  condition  as  long 
as  those  who  understand  it,  those  who  can  see  it 
from  its  root,  dare  not  stand  up  and  speak,  be- 
cause it  is  too  delicate,  or  too  cutting?  The 
majority  are  ignorant  about  it,  and  are  kept  in 
their  ignorance  by  those  who  know  better.  The 
afflicted  seek  counsel,  and  hundreds  of  remedies 
and  counsels  are  given  them,  everything  but  the 
right  thing,  because  if  given  it  would  interfere 


86  what  Women  should  know. 

with  the  popularity  of  certain  professionals. 
Such  are  the  conditions  of  today,  and  only  the 
quiet  observers,  the  thinking  minds,  cry  out 
from  the  bottom  of  their  hearts,  Oh,  Lord,  how 
long  will  this  last?  But  the  majority  speak 
peace,  everything  is  well,  intelligence  covers  the 
earth,  and  happy  are  we  to  live  at  this  glorious 
time!  Certainly  this  deceptive  spirit  and  in- 
fluence that  holds  such  sway  ought  to  be  up- 
rooted and  brought  to  view  by  those  who  have 
the  moral  courage  to  face  the  monster. 

The  after  treatment  of  abortion  is  about  the 
same  as  after  full  term  delivery.  Sexual  in- 
dulgence should  be  abstained  from  for  at  least 
one  year  in  order  to  have  hope  of  good  results 
in  the  future. 

False  Conception. — Vesicular  mole  is  a 
cystic  formation.  The  foetus  having  died  soon 
after  conception,  and  still  elements  have  re- 
mained with  a  natural  tendency  for  growth  and 
developed  into  some  organized  substance,  which 
in  the  course  of  time  is  expelled  from  the  uterus 
through  the  same  forces  as  an  ordinary  delivery, 
sometimes  accompanied  by  profuse  hemorrhage. 
I  have  often  noticed  that  people  call  an  expelled 
ovum  (when  expelled   at  an  early  date)  a  false 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  Wi 

conception  when  really  it  was  a  true  conception. 
Extra  Uterine  Pregnancy. — Pregnancy  ex- 
ists, but  takes  place  outside  of  the  uterine  cav- 
ity. It  is  of  most  grave  importance  and  in 
most  cases  causes  death.  There  are  different 
kinds  of  extra  uterine  pregnancy.  The  impreg- 
nated germ  may  stay  and  develop  in  the  ovary 
or  it  may  lodge  and  start  its  development  in  the 
fallopian  tube.  In  either  case  pregnancy  does 
not  last  longer  than  about  two  months  and  ends 
with  rupture  of  ovarian  or  tubal  wall  and  in- 
ternal hemorrhage  causes  death.  If  the  fallo- 
pian tube  fails  in  grasping  the  little  germ  to 
convey  it  to  the  uterus  it  then  drops  outside  and 
begins  its  growth  in  the  peritonial  cavity,  there 
being  nothing  to  curtail  its  growth,  it  may  de- 
velop until  full  term.  There  is  no  way  by 
which  it  can  be  born  on  natural  principles.  But 
wonderful  are  the  operations  of  nature,  and 
cases  are  reported  when  arriving  at  full  term, 
the  foetus  dies,  dries  up  as  we  may  call  it, 
shrinks  together  in  a  lump  which  may  remain 
in  the  abdominal  cavity  of  the  woman  and  some- 
times without  hindrance  to  her  future  existence. 
I  had  an  experience  relative  to  such  cases  from 
my  own   observations   while   back  in  old  Den- 


88         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

mark.  A  woman  there,  my  neighbor  for  many- 
years,  had  always  been  a  puny,  sickly  woman  as 
long  as  I  had  known  her,  but  never  bed-fast. 
Two  years  previous  to  my  leaving  for  Utah,  she 
was  afflicted  seemingly  more  than  before.  She 
had  a  gathering  in  the  lower  part  of  the  ab- 
domen, a  little  to  one  side.  By  and  by  it  made 
its  appearance  towards  the  surface  in  the  form 
of  a  gigantic  boil.  It  was  poulticed  and  after  a 
long  treatment  broke.  Out  from  its  cavity 
were  expelled  different  pieces  of  bone  together 
with  pus  and  matter.  By  examination  per- 
formed by  the  district  doctor  it  was  found  to  be 
remnants  of  a  foetus.  The  history  was  proven 
to  be  true,  when  the  woman  explained  that  for 
eighteen  years  back,  she  had  believed  herself 
pregnant,  and  pregnancy  progressed  until  full 
term.  She  did  not  suspect  anything  wrong,  but 
to  her  entire  surprise,  she  never  took  sick  to  be 
delivered  and  soon  she  did  not  "feel  life"  any 
longer.  Gradually  she  got  thinner  and  thinner, 
and  people  made  fun  of  her  for  being  so  foolish 
as  to  imagine  herself  pregnant.  She  knew 
enough  herself,  she  said,  to  be  assured  that  she 
was  pregnant,  but  the  rest  was  a  mystery  to  her 
until  now,  when   the  bursting  boil  revealed  the 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  89 

whole  history.  By  examination  it  was  learned 
that  her  nterus  was  entirely  disinterested  in  the 
case.  It  had  been  "abdominal  pregnancy." 
We  see  the  woman — if  not  entirely  healthy  and 
strong,  though  well  enough  to  perform  her 
housework — lived  in  that  condition  during  those 
eighteen  years.  Though  impaired  in  health, 
she  was  able  to  be  around  again  when  I  left. 

LABOE. 

In  studying  this  subject,  we  do  not  wish  to 
qualify  ourselves  for  practical  midwives,  but  we 
make  a  specialty  of  that  part  which  is  inevitably 
beneficial  for  every  woman  who  expects  to  bear 
children  to  know  in  order  that  she  may  avoid 
as  much  misery  as  possible. 

So  long  as  woman  herself  is  ignorant  of  these 
principles,  it  will  always  be  impossible,  even 
for  the  most  skillful  physician  to  be  perfectly 
successful  in  his  operations  in  cases  of  labor. 

The  woman  herself  has  the  greatest  power  to 
bring  about  desirable  results,  and  through  her 
ignorance  may  cause  the   most  serious  trouble. 

We  will  only  deal  with  the  proceedings  in  a 
natural  labor  case  and  such  occurrences  as 
women  are  most  frequently  subject  to.     Labor 

7 


90         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW, 

is  the  act  of  delivery  or  childbirth — parturition. 
The  period  at  which  it  takes  place  is  ten  lunar 
months  or  280  days  after  conception. 

Causes. — The  causes  of  labor,  as  usually 
given,  are:  that  the  uterus  has  reached  its  phys- 
iological limit  of  growth,  and  the  foetus  still  in- 
creases in  size,  the  increased  muscular  irritabil- 
ity of  the  uterine  walls,  pressure  of  uterus  on 
contiguous  parts  from  its  own  weight,  and  com- 
pression of  it  by  surrounding  peritoneal  and 
muscular  layers  provoking  contraction. 

I  believe  that  labor  occurs  in  obedience  to  a 
grand,  natural  law.  I  suppose  that  God,  in  His 
infinite  wisdom,  understood  just  how  long .  a 
period  would  be  necessary  for  the  uterine  de- 
velopment of  the  human  form—  just  when  it 
would  be  able  to  endure  external  existence,  and 
consequently  had  an  appointed  time  for  its  oc- 
currence. There  is  no  guesswork  in  the  laws  of 
nature. 

Now  if  the  occurence  of  labor  depended  upon 
the  size  of  a  child,  many  children  would  be  lia- 
ble to  a  long  (possibly  double)  uterine  life,  and 
the  mother  would  never  know  when  to  expect 
deliverance.  We  find  that  when  a  child  is  forty 
weeks  old  it  is  born  whether  it  is  large  or  small. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         91 

We  could  never  expect  that  a  large  child 
would  be  born  before  the  allotted  time,  for  if 
delivery  occurs  at  any  other  time  it  causes  ser- 
ious results  to  both  mother  and  child. 

Forces  by  Which  the  Child  is  Expelled. 
— The  main  force  is  that  of  uterine  contraction 
assisted  by  contractions  of  the  abdominal  mus- 
cles and  diaphragm.  Uterine  contraction  is  en- 
tirely involuntary.  That  of  the  abdominal 
muscles  may  be  assisted  by  voluntary  effort  in 
the  act  of  straining.  These  are  the  natural 
means,  the  natural  forces,  and  as  long  as  they 
are  allowed  to  do  their  work,  it  is  in  harmony 
with  woman's  health  and  future  well  being.  But 
just  as  sure  as  these  natural  functions  are  dis- 
turbed the  result  is  sickness  and  misery.  The 
study  of  science  has  brought  forth  a  great  deal 
of  confusion — science,  as  we  know,  are  "truths 
found  out1'  and  some  truths  in  their  nature 
bring  death,  while  others  bring  life.  All  science 
is  in  harmony  with  nature,  but  a  perfect  appli- 
cation of  scientific  truth  has  never  yet  been 
made  by  man,  hence  the  confusion.  The  poor 
pregnant  woman,  ignorant  of  her  own  being's 
natural  need,  listens  to  the  cry,  lo  here  and  lo 
there,  here  is  something  for  the  relief  of  suffer- 


92         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

ing  women,  and  grasps  in  the  darkness  for  some 
remedy  whereby  to  escape  that  much  dreaded 
ordeal,  the  delivery  of  her  children.  Women 
place  their  faith  in  man  more  than  God,  and  are 
victims  of  experiments.  I  can  assure  you, 
sisters,  as  long  as  we  continue  in  our  artificial 
ways  of  living,  the  difficulties  and  also  mortal- 
ity in  deliveries  will  increase. 

God,  in  His  mercy,  has  provided  remedies 
and  means  in  abundance,  whereby  women  can 
escape  not  only  the  misery  but  the  fear  of  child- 
birth. I  firmly  believe  that  women  can  be  de- 
livered of  their  children  without  pain  or  diffi- 
culty, and  this  on  true,  natural  principles  if  they 
will  live  for  it. 

A  labor  pain,  as  we  term  it,  is  a  contraction 
of  the  uterus,  lasting  for  a  little  time  and  fol- 
lowed by  an  interval  of  relaxation  or  rest. 

In  the  beginning  of  labor  the  contractions 
are  short  and  feeble,  but  as  labor  progresses  in 
the  natural  order  the  contractions  increase  in 
strength  and  duration  and  are  assisted  by  con- 
tractions of  the  abdominal  muscles  and  dia- 
phragm. 

Labor  is  divided  into  three  stages.  The  I. 
stage  begins  with  the  commencement  of  labor 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         93 

and  ends  when  the  os  uteri  is  completely  dilated. 
The  II.  immediately  follows  the  first  and  ends 
when  the  child  is  born.  The  III.  includes  the 
time  occupied  by  the  separation  and  expulsion 
of  the  placenta  and  ends  with  safe  contraction 
of  the  now  empty  uterus. 

The  Bag  of  Waters  protects  the  body  of 
the  foetus,  placenta,  and  umbilical  cord  from  the 
direct  pressure  of  the  uterine  wall,  and  it  allows 
the  uterus  to  maintain  its  symmetrical  shape, 
thus  lessening  interference  with  the  uterine  and 
placental  circulation.  The  bag  being  soft, 
smooth,  and  elastic,  can  more  completely  fit,  and 
more  easily  dilate  the  os  uteri  than  any  part  of 
the  foetus,  hence  the  importance  of  not  breaking 
it  in  the  early  part  of  labor. 

Management  of  Labor. — When  the  hour 
approaches,  be  sure  to  get  rid  of  your  fear;  if 
you  have  complied  with  the  laws  of  proper  liv- 
ing you  have  no  need  for  fear.  Avoid  excite- 
ment, for  it  has  a  bad  effect  upon  a  woman  in 
labor.  Have  a  good  fountain  syringe,  a  male 
elastic  catheter,  a  suitable  pair  of  scissors,  two 
new  sponges,  a  ball  of  knitting  cotton,  safety- 
pins,  a  bottle  of  pure  olive  oil — consecrated, 
plenty  of  old  pieces  of  linen,  white  and  perfectly 


94         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

clean.  Use  no  bedclothes  that  have  been  pre- 
viously used  in  cases  of  contagious  diseases. 
See  that  you  have  necessary  clothing  for  your- 
self and  the  expected  new-comer,  also  that  your 
bed  is  in  a  proper  condition  and  approachable 
on  both  sides-  It  is  not  good  to  have  a  feather 
bed,  a  mattress  is  preferable ;  cover  with  a 
sheet  and  a  rubber  (or  other  waterproof  cloth,) 
four  feet  square;  upon  this  lay  an  old  quilt  or 
blanket,  doubled  three  or  four  times,  and  cover 
with  a  second  sheet;  upon  this  the  woman  lies, 
with  pillows  and  covering  as  usual.  When  labor 
is  over  the  rubber  cloth  with  its  soddened  blan- 
ket and  soiled  sheet  may  be  easily  dragged  off 
at  the  foot  of  the  bed,  leaving  the  patient  rest- 
ing upon  the  dry  sheet  first  placed  over  the 
mattress. 

Have  plenty  of  warm  water  on  hand  when  de- 
livery has  started,  and  have  a  little  tub  handy 
in  case  it  is  needed  in  a  hurry. 

In  regard  to  the  preparation  of  her  own  per- 
son it  is  proper,  when  the  first  sensation  of  labor 
occurs,  to  take  a  sponge  bath  and  put  on  clean 
underclothes,  and  (allow  me  here  to  give  vent  to 
my  feelings)  would  it  not  be  a  grand  privilege  if 
she  at  that  moment  could  be  administered  unto 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.  95 

by  her  own  husband,  he  being  a  man  of  God 
holding  the  Holy  Priesthood,  anointing  and 
dedicating  her  unto  her  delivery? 

I  know  of  no  greater  blessing  possessed  by  a 
daughter  of  Eve  than  to  be  the  wife  of  such  a 
husband.  Who  could  administer  to  her  with 
more  love,  more  sincerity,  and  more  confidence 
to  obtain  favor  than  her  own  loving  husband? 

With  what  confidence  and  hope  could  she 
enter  into  that  sacred  labor,  after  being  commis- 
sioned by  divine  authority  by  a  representative 
of  God.  Oh!  if  our  lovely  daughters  could 
always  appreciate  the  privileges  that  lie  in  their 
path!  It  would  also  be  an  excellent  plan  if  she 
could  enter  into  the  process  of  delivery  fasting, 
but  that  is  almost  impossible,  for  she  is  coaxed 
and  almost  forced  to  eat  "to  get  strength,"  as  it 
is  termed;  but  oh  how  mistaken!  Food  taken 
at  that  time  will  cause  more  harm  than  good. 
Through  the  little  fear,  anxiety  and  despond- 
ency, which  naturally  are  present,  the  digestive 
organs  cannot  perform  their  functions  properly, 
and  the  eaten  food  not  only  causes  annoyance  in 
delivery,  but  its  effects  reach  into  childbed  and 
cause  the  woman  to  be  more  susceptible  to 
fevers. 


96         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

Having  everything  prepared  and  in  readiness, 
it  is  better  for  the  woman  to  go  to  bed  and  be 
as  quiet  as  possible,  for  quietude  always  lessens 
the  tendency  to  post-partal  hemorrhage  (flow- 
ing after  delivery).  It  may  also  prevent  "pro- 
lapse of  funis." 

Do  not  take  any  hot  teas,  hot  baths,  stimul- 
ants, nor  medicine  of  any  description.  Let 
nature  have  full  sway;  do  not  cause  any  "hurry- 
ing up." 

Evacuate  the  bladder  rectum;  use  no  physic; 
take  a  warm  water  enema. 

See  that  the  attendant  is  also  properly  pre- 
pared with  perfectly  clean  person  and  clothing, 
that  she  has  not  been  in  contact  with  any  con- 
tagious diseases  and  that  she  has  a  proper 
understanding  of  the  whole  natural  process  of  de- 
livery; that  she  shall  not  by  either  ignorance  or 
daring  cause  disturbance  which  otherwise  could 
be  avoided. 

The  position  of  a  woman  in  bed  during  labor 
depends  upon  circumstances.  If  conditions  are 
normal  she  can  place  herself  in  the  position  in 
which  she  is  most  comfortable.  If  there  should 
be  "obliquity"  of  uterus,  the  position  of  the  body 
must  be  corresponding,  i.  e.,  if  the  fundus  uteri 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         \U 

is  tilted  over  to  the  right  side  she  must  lie  on 
her  left  side,  and  vice  versa.  This  obliquity  of 
the  uterus  is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  preg- 
nancy, and  often  causes  a  great  deal  of  obstruc- 
tion in  delivery  because  it  is  not  understood. 

It  is  the  result  of  relaxed  abdominal  walls 
together  with  pressure  from  above,  also  from  the 
habit  of  always  sleeping  on  one  side. 

An  examination  must  be  made  to  ascertain 
present  conditions  in  regard  to  presentation  of 
foetus,  how  far  delivery  has  advanced,  and  if  any 
obstructions  are  present  to  hinder  the  natural 
process  of  delivery. 

There  should  be  no  more  examinations  taken 
than  are  positively  necessary,  for  these  delicate 
parts  are  easily  irritated. 

The  woman  should  be  encouraged  all  the  time 
to  rest  as  much  as  possible  and  not  to  bear  down 
and  strain  any  more  than  nature  forces  her  to. 
Bearing  down  affects  only  the  abdominal 
muscles  and  has  no  effect  whatever  on  the  uterus, 
hence  the  folly  and  harm  of  thus  causing  the 
woman  to  waste  her  strength. 

Water  should  be  passed  freely  so  that  no 
over-distention  of  bladder  might  hinder,  and  in 
all  proceedings   see  that   nature   is   allowed  to 


98         WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

operate  where  it  possibly  can  No  direct  atten- 
tion is  necessary  mitil  the  approach  of  the  rup- 
ture of  the  bag  of  waters,  after  which  a  vaginal 
examination  should  be  made  to  ascertain  more 
surely  the  presentation. 

Keep  the  temperature  of  the  room  at  about 
65  or  70  degrees,  and  protect  the  woman  from  a 
glare  of  light.  The  perineum  must  receive 
especial  attention  and  support. 

When  the  head  is  expelled,  she  must  by  all 
means  rest  a  few  seconds  to  give  the  uterus  a 
chance  to  rest  that  it  may  again  be  able  by  its 
own  power  to  expel  the  rest  of  the  body,  and 
also  to  ascertain  if  the  umbilical  cord  is  around 
the  child's  neck,  as  it  is  necessary  to  pass  the 
loop  thus  formed  over  the  child's  head.  This 
little  rest  is  also  of  great  importance  in  avoiding 
postpartal  hemorrhage. 

External  manual  pressure  of  uterus  must  not 
be  forgotten  during  the  expulsion  of  the  child,, 
that  uterine  contractions  may  be  secured. 

At  the  moment  the  child  is  expelled,  see  that 
no  discharge  comes  in  contact  with  its  eyes; 
cleanse  the  nostrils  and  mouth  from  mucus  and 
also  see  that  it  breathes.  If  it  does  not  breathe, 
slap  the  buttocks  (not  roughly),  rub  the  spine,. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         99 

dash  a  little  water  in  the  face  or  on  the  chest, 
which  in  ordinary  cases  will  suffice,  and  lay  it  on 
its  right  side- 

Manual  pressure  upon  the  fundus  uteri  must 
be  pursued  to  facilitate  the  separation  of  the 
placenta  and  to  secure  permanent  contraction  of 
uterus  after  delivery. 

No  more  people  should  be  in  attendance  than 
the  nature  of  the  case  actually  requires. 

Cutting  or  Umbilical  Cord.  —In  all  natural 
cases  there  is  no  occasion  to  hurry.  If  the  child 
has  a  purple  appearance  cut  the  cord  before 
tying  and  let  about  two  tablespoonsf ul  of  blood 
run  out;  but  if  the  child  looks  pale  and  puny 
and  is  limber,  let  it  remain  connected  with  the 
mother  as  long  as  there  is  any  pulsation  in  the 
cord,  thus  it  may  receive  a  little  more  strength. 
These  conditions  may  be  occasioned  by  pressure 
in  delivery  and  if  not  understood  may  cause 
fatal  results. 

The  ligatures  must  be  made  from  undyed 
knitting  cotton,  three  or  four  double,  and  about 
six  inches  long,  and  tied  in  a  knot  at  either  end. 
making  it  strong  and  soft,  and  it  must  be  tied 
firmly  but  not  tight  enough  to  injure  the  blood- 
vessels.    The  cord  should  be  cut  one  and  one- 


100        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

half  inches  from  the  umbilicus-  If  the  end 
should  bleed,  another  ligature  should  be  placed 
above  the  first  one. 

It  is  a  safe  plan  to  also  tie  the  placental  end 
of  the  navel,  as  it  is  necessary  in  cases  of  twins. 

The  child  must  be  wrapped  in  a  nice,  clean, 
soft,  white  flannel  and  given  to  an  attendant, 
who  should  watch  it  closely  that  it  does  not 
bleed  at  the  navel  and  also  protect  its  eyes  from 
a  glare  of  light. 

Delivery  of  Placenta.  —The  child  having 
been  disposed  of,  place  a  hand  upon  the  fundus 
uteri;  if  it  be  found  symmetrical  in  shape  and 
as  small  in  size  as  a  cricket  ball,  the  placenta  is 
probably  resting  loose  in  the  vagina.  If  it  be 
larger  than  this  and  not  so  round  in  shape,  the 
placenta  is  most  likely  still  in  the  uterus  or  half 
in  and  half  out.  In  this  latter  case  manipulate 
the  fundus  and  make  pressure  upon  it  to  excite 
contraction.  Should  there  be  hemorrhage,  the 
fundus  may  be  grasped  firmly  by  the  hand  and 
the  placenta  forced  into  the  vagina.  To  be  suc- 
cessful in  this,  firm  pressure  must  be  made  only 
during  a  pain  or  contraction.  Hold  the  uterus 
less  firmly  between  the  pains  and  resume  strong 
pressure  when  the  pain  returns  and   so  on  for 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        101 

several  pains;  the  pressure  being  downward  and 
backward  toward  the  sacrum.  Never,  under  any 
circumstances,  make  traction  on  the  cord  before 
the  placenta  has  escaped  from  the  uterine  cavity ; 
it  tends  to  pull  the  placenta  flatwise  (like  a 
button  in  a  button  hole)  thus  obstructing  its 
egress  and  might,  if  the  placenta  were  still  ad- 
herent, invert  the  uterus.  When  undisturbed 
by  traction  on  the  cord  the  placenta  will  be 
folded  vertically  in  line  with  the  long  axis  of 
the  uterus.  As  soon  as  the  placenta  has  passed 
the  vulvar  orifice  hold  it  there,  close  up,  and 
with  both  hands  twist  it  round  and  round  al- 
ways in  one  direction,  and  the  membranes  will 
thus  be  twisted  into  a  sort  of  rope,  which  grad- 
ually gets  longer  and  narrower  until  terminat- 
ing in  a  mere  string  which  finally  slips  from 
the  vagina  and  the  delivery  is  complete.  If  this 
twisting  device  be  not  adopted,  a  part  of  the 
membrane  is  likely  to  remain, and  becoming  en- 
tangled with  clots  of  blood,  cause  after-pains 
and  come  away,  fetid,  days  afterward  not  with- 
out alarm  to  the  patient. 

After  delivery  the  placenta  should  be  in- 
spected to  see  that  no  part  has  been  torn  off  and 
left  behind.     Then  once  more  feel  of  the  fundus 


102  WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD   KNOW. 

uteri,  reassuring  yourself  that  the  uterus  is 
well  contracted,  and  that  no  clots  or  accumula- 
tions of  blood  are  retained  in  it.  Then  apply  the 
abdominal  binder,  (which  should  be  a  flannel 
bandage).  It  is  designed  to  support  the 
stretched  walls  of  the  abdomen,  and  compress 
the  uterus  so  as  to  prevent  its  relaxation  and 
consequent  hemorrhage.  It  gives  the  woman 
comfort  and  prevents  syncope. 

ATTENTION  TO  NEW-BOEN  CHILD. 

The  child  should  be  washed  in  a  wise  and 
careful  manner  by  perfectly  clean  hands.  Se- 
bacious  matter  which  is  found  on  the  little  body, 
especially  the  female  genitals,  must  be  carefully 
removed  by  the  use  of  oil  and  a  soft  cloth.  That 
part  of  the  head  covered  with  hair  must  be  free 
from  sebacious  matter  or  the  child  will  always 
be  more  subject  to  what  is  called  dandruff, 
which  really  is  dirt.  After  the  sebacious  matter 
is  removed  the  child  must  be  thoroughly  washed 
in  nice,  warm  water  and  a  very  little  fine  soap. 
Wash  the  eyes  tenderly  in  clean,  warm  water, 
no  soap.  Wash  part  of  the  body  at  a  time  and 
wipe  thoroughly. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        103 

The  washing  must  be  done  quickly  and  in  a 
warm,  comfortable  room. 

The  present  mode  of  dressing  babies  is  as  un- 
comfortable as  it  is  senseless.  The  shirt  should 
be  made  of  thin,  soft  wool,  either  knitted  or 
made  from  flannel,  with  long  sleeves  and  high 
neck.  The  abdominal  bandage  must  also  be 
of  soft,  white  flannel,  four  or  five  inches  wide 
and  long  enough  to  reach  twice  around  the 
child's  body.  The  pinning  blanket  and  petticoat 
must  each  have  a  little  waist  that  the  whole 
weight  may  rest  on  the  shoulders.  The  diaper 
must  be  small,  one-half  yard  square,  and  made 
of  soft  material;  a  large  diaper  of  cotton  flannel 
may  be  applied  around  the  child  to  soak  up 
water,  but  should  never  be  drawn  between  the 
little  legs.  It  is  almost  enough  to  deform  the 
child  to  use  these  large  diapers.  Nice  little  soft, 
wThite  woolen  stockings  should  be  used  for  the 
feet  and  legs.  The  dress  should  be  made  with 
long  sleeves  and  high  neck,  and  about  six 
inches  below  the  feet.  Nothing  should  be  used 
to  cover  the  head  when  in  the  house.  It  would 
lighten  the  labor  for  mothers  and  also  make 
children  more  comfortable  if  proper  clothing 
was  used. 


104        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

Place  the  little  stranger  in  its  own  little  crib, 
in  soft,  woolen  blankets.  If  it  is  not  able  to- 
produce  the  normal  amount  of  heat  itself  it 
must  be  w^armed  artificially,  and  only  kept  in 
the  mother's  bed  while  nursing. 

It  is  a  very  common  practice,  although  a 
serious  evil  inflicted  upon  the  little  creature 
immediately  upon  its  introduction  into  this 
world,  to  place  it  down  under  the  bedclothes  by 
its  mother's  side.  We  know  it  is  not  possible 
for  that  little  helpless  infant  to  get  one  single 
breath  of  pure  air  in  such  an  atmosphere.  Of 
course  we  all  admit  of  the  necessity  of  breathing 
pure  air  with  the  tender  little  lungs  so  lately 
starting  to  perform  their  functions;  yet  thought- 
lessly it  is  made  impossible. 

DEESSING  STUMP  OF  NAVAL  STEING. 

The  umbilicus  must  receive  careful  attention; 
the  stump  must  be  well  oiled  and  folded  in  a 
soft  piece  of  cloth,  which  must  be  changed 
every  day,  and  the  umbilicus  washed  clean  as 
possible  in  all  its  little  creases. 

After  the  stump  falls  off,  which  will  be  about 
six  or  seven  days,  place  over  the  umbilicus  a 
little  soft,  clean  cloth,  with  oil  on  it,  and  change 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         105 

it  every  day  until  it  is  completely  free  from  any 
mattery  fluid,  and  just  that  long  will  you  need 
the  abdominal  band — about  two  weeks-  The 
wearing  of  the  little  bandage  for  months,  as 
has  been  the  custom,  hinders  free  muscular 
development. 

I  find  that  many  people  are  afraid  to  touch 
the  umbilicus  with  water,  and  that  is  just  what 
it  needs  to  be  kept  clean.  I  have  seen  infants 
four,  five  and  six  days  old  where  the  bandage 
had  never  been  removed,  the  cloth  on  the  cord 
had  never  been  changed,  and  on  removing  it 
there  would  be  a  strong  stench,  the  surface 
raw  and  covered  with  matter. 

In  this  way  septic  poison  can  be  introduced 
into  the  system. 

In  such  cases  as  these  I  would  advise  the  use 
of  water  (boiled  and  cooled). 

Bathe  every  few  minutes,  and  place  a  little 
linen  pack  of  that  water  on  all  the  time  and 
change  often  that  it  may  not  become  dry.  This, 
will  heal  a  sore  naval ;  but  if  attended  to  prop- 
erly at  first  it  will  not  get  sore. 


106        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

MANAGEMENT   OF   MOTHEE   AND 
CHILD  AFTEE  DELIVEEY. 

Eemove  the  soiled  linen  from  the  mother  and 
wash  the  soiled  parts  of  her  body  and  apply 
clean,  warm  clothes,  and  wrap  a  nice,  soft,  warm 
woolen  blanket  around  her  feet  and  legs  and 
make  her  feel  as  comfortable  as  possible.  It  is 
very  unwise  to  cover  her  until  she  is  sweating; 
have  light  covering,  but  sufficient  to  keep 
natural  warmth. 

Give  her  a  nice,  warm  drink  of  hot  water  and 
cream,  or  nice  gruel  (oatmeal),  seasoned  with 
sweet  cream  and  a  very  little  sugar — no  salt; 
then  let  her  rest  and  sleep.  She  must  not  turn 
over  nor  move  about  for  the  first  twenty-four 
hours  on  account  of  the  laxity  of  internal  organs. 

If  proper  dietetic  rules  have  been  observed, 
natural  evacuations  from  the  bowels  will  take 
place:  if,  however,  it  should  not,  when  three 
days  have  passed,  take  an  enema  of  warm  water, 
and  nothing  else;  take  no  medicine,  pills,  nor 
oil.  Visitors  should  not  be  allowed  for  several 
days — it  causes  nervous  excitement.  Light  is  a 
life-giving  power,  and  must  not  be  excluded 
from  the  lying-in  room. 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  107 

I  believe  it  to  be  an  excellent  plan  for  the 
woman  to  have  a  sponge  bath  every  day,  if  it 
can  be  done  with  sense  and  skill. 

In  case  of  obstruction  in  passing  water,  the 
catheter  must  of  course  be  used  ;  but  first  sub- 
merge it  in  antiseptic  solution  of  carbolic  acid 
and  water  (10  or  15  drops  to  qt);  also  cleanse 
the  genitals  in  the  same  solution,  that  no  vaginal 
discharge  shall  be  introduced  into  the  bladder. 

In  regard  to  diet  in  childbed,  it  is  better  to 
always  have  a  proper  diet;  but  insist  upon  a 
light  diet  of  easily-digested,  nourishing  food. 

The  establishment  of  milk,  which  of  course  is 
going  on,  is  affected  by  earlier  diet,  and  is  ren- 
dered inferior,and  the  woman  is  more  susceptible 
to  fevers  in  the  puerperal  state  (even  if  she  is 
careful  now)  than  she  would  be  if  she  kept  per- 
fect diet  all  the  time. 

Milk  fever  is  a  slight  febrile  excitement 
which  scarcely  needs  mentioning,  for  I  do  think 
there  is  no  need  for  having  it,  if  people  would 
have  proper  diet  and  cleanliness. 

Sore  nipples  are  more  easily  avoided  than 
cured.  A  gentle,  daily  washing  of  the  nipple  in 
cool,  boiled  water  during  pregnancy  would  as  a 
rule  prevent  sore  nipples  ;  likewise,  little  packs 


108        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

of  that  water  in  the  first  few  days  of  nursing  is 
excellent ;  also,  wash  the  nipple  every  time 
after  nursing.  The  child's  mouth  should  also 
be  washed  out  after  nursing,  so  that  sour  and 
decaying  milk  may  not  cause  sore .  mouth. 
Never  let  the  child  sleep  with  the  nipple  in  its 
mouth. 

In  case  of  flat  or  sunken  nipples,  hold  the 
child  in  readiness  while  the  nipple  is  first  drawn 
out  by  the  mouth  or  fingers  of  an  adult,  or  hold 
over  the  nipple  the  mouth  of  a  glass  bottle  (con- 
taining hot  air)  till  the  air  cools,  and  the  nipple 
is  drawn  up  into  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  then 
remove  it  and  apply  the  child  immediately. 

AFTEB  PAINS. 

These  are  painful  contractions  of  the  uterus 
following  delivery  for  two  or  three  days:  often 
caused  by  retained  blood  clots  or  membranes, 
owing  to  the  uterus  having  been  imperfectly 
contracted  after  expulsion  of  placenta.  They 
are  worse  in  short,  inactive  labors,  and  in  cases 
where  the  uterus  has  been  over-distended. 

Treatment.— Digital  removal  of  clot,  if  it 
can  be  felt  lodged  in  the  os  uteri,  manipulations 


WHAT  WOMEN     SHOULD   KNOW.  109 

of  uterus,  application  of  our  lovely  oil  and  hot 
cloths;  the  more  quiet  the  woman  will  lie,  the 
better  for  after  pains.  In  the  day  when  women 
have  learned  to  comply  with  all  natural  laws, 
I  believe  that  what  is  called  after-pains  will 
have  vanished. 

EXCESSIVE  FLOW  OF  MILK. 

In  case  of  excessive  flow  of  milk,  the  best;  pre- 
ventative is  to  support  the  breast  by  a  comfort- 
able bandage;  rub  it  a  few  times  with  oil,  and 
do  not  draw  out  any  more  than  the  child  takes 
(that  is,  if  it  is  normal,)  and  that  which  runs 
out  of  itself.  Avoid  all  stimulating  articles, 
whether  food  or  drink ;  the  milk  secretion  will 
be  regulated  all  right,  and  in  a  way  that  will  not 
be  harmful  to  the  mother  nor  child. 

DEFICIENT  FLOW  OF  MILK. 

If  possible,  seek  and  remove  the  cause.  It 
may  be  due  to  a  diseased  condition  of  the  repro- 
ductive system,  or  loss  of  blood  in  delivery, 
which  in  time,  with  wise  treatment,  will  be 
overcome.  It  may  be  due  to  a  constantly 
worried  mind,  or  improper  nursing  on  account 
of  sore  nipples. 


110        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

Take  good,  wholesome  food  (no  stimulants) ; 
dress  and  bathe  properly,  have  cheerful  sur- 
roundings, and  have  plenty  of  the  blessed  pure 
air.  Do  not  drink  teas,  beer,  wine,  nor  liquor 
of  any  kind.  It  is  a  grave  mistake  for  mothers 
to  increase  the  quantity  of  the  milk  secretion  at 
the  expense  of  quality.  It  is  acceded  by  all 
scientists  that  stimulants  contain  little  or  no 
nourishment;  then  how  is  it  possible  by  using 
them  to  increase  the  food  supply  for  the   child! 

It  is  a  common  thing,  even  for  physicians,  to 
advise  women  to  take  those  stimulants ;  but  it  is 
our  right,  with  the  understanding  of  life  that 
God  has  given  us,  to  know  better. 

No  set  time  can  be  given  for  the  woman  to 
get  out  of  bed;  it  depends  upon  circumstances. 

The  condition  of  the  uterus  is  a  safe  guide. 
The  old  popular  rule  of  nine  days  is  a  custom 
without  reason.  If  the  uterus  is  well  contracted, 
and  there  has  been  no  complications  in  labor 
(such  conditions  usually  co-exist,)  there  is  no 
need  for  the  woman,  if  strong  and  vigorous,  to 
lie  in  bed  longer  than  five  or  six  days-  If 
opposite  conditions  prevail,  it  may  be  necessary 
to  lie  in  bed  for  two,  three,  or  more  weeks. 

I  know  positively  that  some   women   stay   in 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        Ill 

bed  too  long  and  others  get  up  too  early,  and 
both  are  injured  by  it.  While  the  uterus  is 
large  and  heavy,  and  its  supports  are  relaxed 
from  the  stretching  of  pregnancy  and  labor,  too 
early  getting  up  endangers  uterine  displace- 
ments, congestion,  and  return  of  bloody  lochia. 
It  is  better  to  err  on  the  safe  side  by  lying  in 
too  long  than  to  risk  getting  up  too  soon. 

Lying  in  bed  is  very  weakening,  and  when 
not  necessary  should  not  be  indulged  in. 

I  sincerely  believe  that  with  wise  treatment 
and  a  better  understanding  of  "  how  to  live," 
we  may  look  for  the  day  when  difficulties  in 
labor  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  there  will 
be  no  necessity  for  being  confined  to  the  bed  as 
a  result  of  delivery.  This  I  know  will  be  far  in 
the  future  for  the  majority,  but  there  will  be  a 
few  who  will  obtain  these  blessings  even  before 
this  generation  passes  away  from  mortality. 

PUEEPEEAL  SEPTICEMIA. 

Puerperal  Septicemia  or,  as  it  is  often  called, 
(though  improperly)  child-bed  fever  is  a  fever 
beginning  within  the  first  week  after  labor — us- 
ually before  the  fourth  day — attended  with  sep- 


112        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

tic  infection  of  the  woman's  blood  and  inflamma- 
tion of  one  or  more  of  the  reproductive  organs. 
On  account  of  its  causes  and  symptoms  not 
being  understood  by  women  generally,  and  also 
as  it  is  so  extremely  serious  and  fatal  in  its 
nature,  I  wish  to  explain  a  few  things  concern- 
ing it.  It  is  with  this  as  with  almost  every 
affliction  that  cold  gets  the  blame  for  it.  We 
always  hear  expressions  like  this:  "She  was 
quite  well  for  a  day  or  two,  but  took  a  heavy 
cold  and  she  is  so  fearfully  sick. "  Then  again 
we  will  hear  some  pronounce  it  milk  fever,  tell- 
ing that  the  milk  has  scattered  over  the  body, 
and  either  gone  to  the  head  or  feet,  which,  of 
course,  are  all  foolish  and  erroneous  ideas.  The 
milk  does  not  wander  around  in  the  body,  it 
does  no  such  thing,  but  on  account  of  the  disease 
formation  of  milk  ceases  and  consequently  the 
breasts  are  flabby  and  relaxed,  and  those  who  do 
not  understand  any  better  think  it  is  wandering 
about  in  the  body.  No,  my  dear  friends  it  is 
not  cold  which  has  cansed  the  disease,  neither  is 
the  disease  a  result  of  any  irregularities  in  the 
milk  production,  but  just  the  opposite.  The 
milk  is  affected  in  its  production  as  a  result  of 
the  disease.       The  causes  for  that  fa,tal   disease 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        113 

are  what  I  would  like  you  to  be  acquainted  with 
for  we  can  so  much  easier  avoid  it  than  battle 
with  it  when  it  is  there. 

Dr.  King  says  in  regard  to  causes  for  that 
disease:  "That  the  physiological  condition  of 
women,  soon  after  labor,  itself  predisposes  them 
to  septic  poisoning  from  absorption  into  the 
blood  of  effete  matters  produced  by  involution 
of  the  uterus  and  other  organs.  Failure  to  re- 
assimulate,  or  to  excrete  such  products  of  tissue 
degeneration  leads  to  their  accumulation  in  the 
blood  and  consequent  septic  poisoning,  or  at  any 
rate,  consequent  increased  susceptibility  to  other 
sources  of  septic  infection.  It  is  called  self-in- 
fection, when  thus  brought  about,  that  is  to  say, 
the  condition  of  the  woman — her  physical  sys- 
tem may  be  in  such  a  state  that  when  the  disease 
germ  (for  it  always  comes  from  without)  is 
introduced  there  is  proper  soil,  so  to  speak,  for 
it  to  flourish  so  readily.  The  danger  is  within 
herself,  though  the  germ  is  introduced  from 
without. " 

Though  she  may  be  in  the  presence  of  chances 
for  infections,  if  she  is  in  a  perfect  or  normal 
state  of  purity  of  body,  there  is  no  soil  in  which 
the  germs  or  bacteria  can  flourish  or  multiply, 


114        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

for  such  can  only  live  on  dead  or  waste  matter. 
Then  again,  the  manner  in  which  septic  poison 
may  be  conveyed  to  the  "lying  in  woman"  is 
varied.  It  may  be  brought  from  other  women 
already  infected  with  "puerperal  septicemia"  on 
sponges,  clothes,  sheets,  bed  pane,  instruments 
or  the  hands  of  mid- wives  or  nurses,  or  even  by 
neighboring  women  who  often  are  in  attendance 
to  help  fix  either  mother  or  baby  in  the  days  of 
child-bed.  Infection  may  also  be  brought  from 
persons  suffering  from  contagious  diseases,  as 
typhus  fever,  scarlet  fever,  measles,  erysipelas, 
diphtheria,  etc.  It  may  also  have  its  origin  from 
cadaveric  poison,  or  poison  conveyed  from  dead 
bodies. 

The  germ  is  introduced  through  freshly 
wounded  surfaces  made  by  slight  lacerations  or 
fissures  about  the  os  and  cervix  uteri  vagina, 
fourchette,  perineum,  etc.,  which  so  often  occurs 
during  labor. 

When  the  wounded  surfaces  begin  to  heal  the 
danger  of  septic  absorption  is  generally  over, 
hence  the  woman  is  comparatively  safe  after  five 
or  six  days  following  delivery. 

By  understanding  the  causes  of  that  fatal 
disease  you  will  readily  see  the  importance  of 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        115 

women  being  acquainted  with  them,  that  they 
may  not  by  ignorance  or  carelessness  be  the 
cause  of  such  serious  afflictions  and  also  that 
they  may  intelligently  trace  the  results  back  to 
their  true  causes  and  not  as  now,  blame  the 
cold  for  everything. 

The  symptoms  of  that  disease  are:  severe  chill, 
high  fever  temperature,  very  high  pulse,  rapid, 
small  and  thready;  thirst,  tongue  coated,  anxious 
expression,  sense  of  great  danger,  pain  and  ex- 
treme tenderness  over  the  whole  or  a  large  part 
of  the  abdomen;  diarrhoea,  perhaps  preceded  by 
constipation  in  the  beginning,  later  vomiting, 
the  ejected  matter  being  greenish  and  smelling 
bad.  Breathing  short  and  jerky,  lochia  arrested 
or  fetid,  breasts  flabby,  milk  suppressed,  diarrhoea 
worse,  profuse  and  uncontrollable;  delirium, 
clammy  sweats,  cold  extremities,  picking  at  the 
bed  clothes,  and  often  death.  In  its  worst  state 
there  is  very  little  hope  of  recovery. 

If  properly  understood,  and  proper  precau- 
tions are  taken  in  its  earliest  period,we  might  at 
times  be  more  successful;  but  the  foolish  treat- 
ment of  the  sick  leaves  but  very  little  hope,  for 
as  a  rule  the  first  thing  thought  of  in  beginning 
of  fevers   by   our   home   nurses    is    stimulants^ 


116        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

believing  as  they  do  that  now  our  patient  has 
caught  a  cold,  she  must  be  extremely  heated  up 
by  some  strong  heating  stimulant,  which  of 
course  increases  the  tendency  for  raising  the 
fever.  But,  as  I  am  no  believer  in  administer- 
ing poison  medicine,  my  way  of  treatment  differs 
so  much  from  that  in  general  use.  The  greatest 
hope  that  I  have  is  in  the  prevention-,  the  woman 
herself  avoiding  what  she  can,  and  those  who 
assist  or  wait  on  her  having  a  true  comprehen- 
sion of  what  part  they  play,  and  when  the 
period  of  avoidance  has  passed,  my  treatment 
would  be  in  the  line  of  what  will  be  described  in 
the  true  u  healing  art."  I  would  in  this  case 
make  use  of  what  I  call  local  treatment.  Apply 
over  the  abdominal  surface  a  good,  hot,  wet 
pack;  cool  off  the  head  by  cold  pack,  vaginal 
injections  of  carbolized  water,  cleansing  out  of 
the  colon,  sponge  baths  of  the  body,  and  chang- 
ing of  clothing  every  time.  Two  beds  in  use, 
perfect,  peaceful  surroundings:  a  liquid  diet; 
avoid  all  stimulants;  and  then,  the  seal  to  be 
set  upon  it  all,  the  administration  of  the  Holy 
Priesthood.  By  this  treatment,  my  belief  is 
that  we  might  have  more  hope  for  recovery  than 
what  we  possibly  can  have  now.    But  remember, 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        Ill 

prevention   is   much   easier   to   obtain   than    re- 
covery. 

NUESING  AND  WEANING. 

I  think  the  ability  to  nurse  one's  own  child- 
ren from  the  breast  is  one  of  the  choicest  bless- 
ings that  we  in  mortality  enjoy,  and  only  those 
who  have  experienced  it  know  of  its  sweetness. 
To  such  it  is  painful  to  know  that  many,  even 
among  intelligent  mothers,  disregard  and  shun 
this  sacred  duty,  because  it  has  the  appearance 
to  them  of  hindering  them  in  their  social 
pleasures  of  life,  and  some  even  think  that  it  is 
somewhat  disgraceful  to  the  truly  refined  lady. 
Oh,  how  sad  that  such  should  become  mothers  I 
they  seem  to  lose  their  own  originality  and  out- 
grow their  own  kind. 

In  studying  the  phenomena  of  present  life, 
we  find  ample  reasons  for  the  spreading  apart 
of  humanity  which  is  becoming  more  distinctive 
all  the  time. 

We  no  longer  wonder  at  the  coolness  and  in- 
difference between  even  the  closest  relations  in 
life:  each  one  for  himself;  the  attachments  and 
attractions  are  constantly  losing  power,  because 
they  are  not  based   upon,    or   have   their   out- 


118        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

growth  from  sacred  regard  for  divine  and  holy 
obligations. 

Let  us  feel  that  we  are  among  those  who 
value  the  ability  to  nurse  their  offspring  from 
the  breast,  as  nature  has  provided.  I  have  often 
found  that  the  new-born  infant  is  injured  be- 
cause many  mothers  do  not  seem  to  have  the 
slightest  idea  concerning  the  obligations  of 
nursing.  It  is  a  common  practice,  especially  in 
the  country  settlements,  to  feed  the  little  baby 
for  its  first  meal  melted  butter  and  sugar,  believ- 
it  to  be  necessary  to  cleanse  the  bowels  from 
their  first  contents.  What  cruelty!  melted  butter 
and  sugar — very  improper  articles  to  be  intro- 
duced into  the  stomach  of  an  adult. 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  tender,  delicate 
organs  of  digestion  in  a  new-born  babe,  thus 
fed,  should  become  subject  to  serious  derange- 
ments ?  That  which  the  child  needs  is  already 
prepared  by  nature  in  the  mother's  breast 
(colostrum,  the  first  milk  secreted  after  deliv- 
ery); it  will  cleanse  the  bowels  and  leave  no 
bad  results. 

The  child  may  without  danger  be  put  to  the 
mother's  breast  immediately  after  delivery,  but 
I  wTould  prefer  to  let  the  mother  rest  for  a   few 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        119 

hours.  There  is  no  need  whatever  to  feed  a 
child  anything  immediately,  let  it  also  sleep  and 
rest.  If  it  cries  or  is  uneasy,  find  out  the  cause, 
do  not  always  think  it  is  hungry.  The  nipple 
should  always  be  washed  before  nursing,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  child,  and  washed  again  after 
nursing  to  prevent  sore  nipples.  Also  wipe  the 
infants  mouth  after  nursing,  so  there  will  not  be 
a  drop  of  milk  in  its  mouth  when  it  goes  to  sleep. 
For  milk  sours  quickly  in  the  warm  mouth  and 
causes  injury. 

The  method  commonly  adopted  by  women  is 
to  be  very  careful  in  their  diet  while  in  child-bed. 
How  much  better  for  both  mother  and  child,  if 
she  always  kept  perfect  diet,  then  there  would  be 
no  need  for  change. 

The  milk  secreting  process  has  been  going  on 
before  delivery  and  consequently  affected  by 
former  diet.  For  example  we  will  suppose  that 
a  woman  ate  for  dinner  hot  biscuits,  butter,  fried 
pork,  mustard,  beans,  or  cabbage,  pickles,  pre- 
serves and  hot  coffee,  a  very  common  meal  and, 
by  the  majority,  thought  to  be  an  extremely 
good  one.  Now  she  is  delivered  of  her  child  in 
the  afternoon,  from  that  very  moment  she  must 
begin  to  be  careful  in  her  diet    Is  it  reasonable 


120        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

to  suppose  that  neither  mother  nor  child  should' 
be  affected  by  that  unwholesome  meal  or  her 
former  diet?  Certainly  not.  Now  if  the  poor 
little,  helpless  babe  screams  in  agony  because  of 
the  torture  inflicted  upon  it,  it  must  now  be 
doctored  by  taking  one  article  after  another, 
nauseous  and  disgusting,  adding  other  obstacles 
to  its  comfort,  while  the  real  cause  of  its  misery 
still  remains.  If  the  child  is  strong  enough  it 
may  struggle  on  and  live  in  spite  of  the  cruel 
treatment. 

The  regularity  of  nursing  is  a  very  important 
item.  It  is  thought  best  to  let  the  infant  nurse 
only  every  four  hours  the  first  day  or  two,  until 
the  milk  secretion  is  firmly  established,  after 
which  it  should  be  of tener — every  two  hours  for 
a  weakly  child  and  every  three  hours  for  a 
strong  child.  It  is  not  good  nor  proper  that  it 
should  nurse  during  the  night  hours.  It  is  a 
habit  which  can  easily  be  established  in  the 
beginning,  but  hard  to  practice  later.  Both 
mother  and  child  should  have  continuous  sleep. 
It  is  not  natural  nor  necessary  for  any  one  to  eat 
during  the  night  hours,  as  many  suppose.  I 
have  known  many  in  my  days'  practice  who 
have  not  allowed  nursing  during  the  night,  and 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         121 

have  proven  it  to  be  an  excellent  method.  As 
the  child  grows  older,  the  periods  between 
nursing  should  be  longer,  so  that  it  should 
nurse  about  five  or  six  times  from  about  5  a.  m. 
until  about  10  p.  m.  It  is  not  only  the  first  few 
days  after  birth  that  such  care  should  be  taken, 
but  during  the  whole  period  of  nursing  the 
mother  must  be  wise,  thoughtful  and  system- 
atic in  all  her  operations;  she  should  only  take 
into  her  system  wholesome,  pure  and  nutritious 
food;  no  stimulants  nor  medicine  of  any  kind. 
She  must  not  allow  herself  to  believe  in  the 
prevalent  idea  of  drinking  tea,  tonics,  beer, 
wine,  cider,  brandy,  etc.,  during  pregnancy  and 
nursing.  Notwithstanding  the  word  of  God 
upon  these  things,  that  "strong  drink  is  not 
good,"  many  of  our  women  partake  of  them  as 
having  been  advised  by  medical  and  scientific 
individuals.  Be  careful  how  you  accept  advice 
from  those  whose  authority  and  instructions  are 
not  in  harmony  with  the  word  of  God.  Oh,  the 
injury  these  forbidden  things  have  caused  to  our 
lovely  children!  No  doubt  many  mothers,  who 
in  the  agonies  of  their  soul  weep  and  plead 
with  their  children,  because  of  their  reckless 
and  ruined  condition  on  account   of   desires  for 

9 


122        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

intoxicants,  were  themselves  the  first  ones  to  im- 
plant in  their  very  beings  these  desires.  There- 
fore, be  thoughtful,  and  base  your  conduct  upon 
the  instructions  we  can  receive  from  our  first 
and  superior  Instructor.  Besides  the  physical 
obligations  of  the  mother  during  lactation,  the 
mental  condition  is  equal,  and  perhaps  greater, 
in  importance. 

Milk  secreted  by  mothers  whose  minds  are 
worried,  fretful  and  irritable,  is  certainly  ren- 
dered unfit  for  the  child,  and  still  worse  from 
those  whose  tempers  are  uncontrollable,  as  a  fit 
of  anger  has  been  known  to  render  the  milk 
poisonous  enough  to  produce  convulsions  and 
cause  death  to  the  child.  Hence  the  wise  and 
thoughtful  mother  will  watch  herself  closely  in 
all  things  for  the  sake  of  her  dependent,  help- 
less babe.  There  is  so  much  carelessness  mani- 
fested by  the  great  majority  of  women  in  regard 
to  what  they  call  little,  unimportant  things,  but 
is  it  not  the  littles  that  make  up  the  whole  ?  A 
combination  of  little  evils  will  destroy  both 
health  and  happiness. 

I  cannot  longer  accept  the  excuse  that  we  are 
creatures  of,  and  must  be  controlled  by  circum- 
stances.    It   is   such   an   easy  way   to   live — to 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        123 

blame  circumstances  for  our  conduct.  We  are 
controlled  by  unseen  forces  to  a  limited  degree, 
but  we  know  that  by  wisdom  we  are  enabled  to 
alter  circumstances  wonderfully. 

There  is  another  important  subject  to  be  con- 
sidered— namely,  continence  during  the  nurs- 
ing period. 

Perhaps  this  is  the  most  important,  and  gener- 
ally the  least  attention  is  given  it.  It  is  not 
considered  harmful  (except  by  a  very  few)  for 
parents  to  indulge  in  sexual  relations  while  the 
mother  is  nursing  her  infant.  Many  believe 
and  live  a  continent  life  during  pregnancy,  but 
not  during  lactation;  now,  why  the  difference  ? 
Is  not  the  child  still  more  or  less  dependent 
upon  the  mother  for  its  physical  and  mental 
development  ?  Certainly;  it  is  only  another 
manner  of  receiving  it — before  birth,  through 
the  uterine  wall,  after,  through  the  breast;  but 
as  much  subject  to  transmission  as  before. 
How  anxious  the  mother  ought  to  be  to  take  a 
proper  course,  for  this  is  one  of  the  golden 
opportunities  she  has  to  mould  the  character  of 
her  child  ! 

There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  parents, 
during  the  nursing  period,  often  seal  upon  their 


124        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

offspring  the  stamp  of  abnormal  sensuality. 
Children  may  also  be  injured  physically  by  the 
same  cause,  as  the  milk  secreted  under  the  ex- 
citement of  coition  is  rendered  unfit  for  the 
child.  If  the  child  is  physically  strong  it  may 
endure  what  is  thrust  upon  it,  but  remember  it 
always  receives  mental  injury. 

The  time  and  method  of  weaning  is  of  very 
great  importance  to  both  mother  and  child.  It 
is  true  there  can  be  no  fixed  rule  because  of  var- 
ied circumstances.  Some  mothers  cannot  nurse 
at  all,  some  only  for  a  short  time,  while  some 
may  nurse  for  several  years  without  any  appar- 
ent injury. 

If  the  conditions  are  normal,  the  proper  time 
to  wean  a  child  from  the  breast  is  when  it  is 
about  ten  months  old,  as  that  is  near  the  time 
menstruation  again  occurs.  At  this  period  the 
woman  is  not  in  a  good  condition  to  supply 
nourishment  for  her  child,  not  having  sufficient 
strength.  The  milk  is  always  affected  by  men- 
struation, so  much  so  as  to  destroy  its  valuable 
nutritive  elements,  hence  it  is  insufficient  food 
for  the  little  child. 

There  are  some  mothers  in  whom  the  func- 
tions of  menstruation  are  established  in  a  month 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        125 

or  two  after  delivery.  This  condition  is  very 
lamentable.  It  shows  us  just  how  far  our  sex 
has  sunken  in  physical  debility.  Under  such 
circumstances  (at  the  present  time)  we  must 
choose  between  the  two  evils:  either  to  wean  the 
child  prematurely,  and  thereby  run  risks,  or 
continue  to  nurse,  and  thereby  injure  the  child, 
perhaps  both  physically  and  mentally.  It  may 
possibly  escape  the  physical,  but  certainly  never 
escapes  the  mental.  For  when  the  menstrua- 
tion occurs  the  reproductive  system  is  no  longer 
at  rest,  as  it  should  be  during  the  nursing 
period. 

The  liability  of  injury  to  the  nursing  child  is 
simply  multiplied  if  the  sexual  system  is  ex- 
cited by  coition.  Under  these  conditions  we 
strongly  plead  for  the  rights  of  the  helpless  lit- 
tle infant,  that  it  should  nurse  only  a  healthy 
mother  and  one  who  lives  strictly  the  law  of 
continence. 

Mothers  sometimes  are  heard  to  say,  "I  would 
not  wean  my  child  for  anything  in  the  world, 
because  I  do  not  desire  another  for  a  long  time. " 
Should  it  not  be  considered  an  honor  to  be  a 
mother  of  as  many  children  as  possible,  if  they 
are  begotten   and  reared  in  a  proper  manner? 


126        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

Therefore,  let  every  mother  wean  her  babe  at 
the  proper  time  and  again  take  the  privilege  of 
becoming  a  mother  of  one  of  God's  children. 
When  thns  we  learn  to  live  the  laws  of  our  be- 
ing, we  will  see  beautiful,  happy  and  healthful 
mothers,  lovely,  intelligent  and  strong  children. 
Not  many  of  them  subject  to  afflictions  and  un- 
timely death,  as  we  now  witness.  God  speed 
the  day ! 

ABTIFICIAL  FEEDING  OF  INFANTS. 

Milk  is  acknowledged  to  be  essential  to  the 
nourishment  of  the  young  in  the  beginning  of 
life-  If  we  cannot  get  the  natural  food—  human 
milk — for  infants  we  must  take  the  second  best 
— the  milk  of  animals.  Milk  from  the  cow  is 
perfect  food  for  the  calf,  but  I  cannot  believe 
for  one  moment  that  it  is  perfect  food  for 
human  infants.  The  cow  is  a  peaceful  animal, 
but  we  must  remember  it  is  also  a  dumb  ani- 
mal. My  way  of  feeding  a  child  artificially 
would  be  cow's  milk  one-third  and  water  two- 
thirds,  both  heated  up  to  the  boiling  point  and 
then  cooled,  and  a  very  little  sugar. 

As    soon    as   the   child   is   physically   strong 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        127 

enough,  which  will  be  about  four  or  five  months, 
gradually  withdraw  from  the  entire  milk  diet  and 
introduce  liquid  food  prepared  from  grain  and 
other  products  of  the  earth,  especially  the  whole 
wheat  flour,  boiled  for  about  three  hours, 
strained  and  seasoned  with  a  little  sweet  cream 
and  perhaps  a  little  sugar. 

More  solid  food  may  be  taken  from  the  same 
materials  as  the  child  continues  to  grow,  also 
part  of  a  soft  boiled  egg  and  a  little  fruit. 
Great  care  should  be  observed  in  regard  to  regu- 
larity of  feeding,  and  no  feeding  in  the  middle 
of  the  night,  when  it  should  Lave  six  or  seven 
hours  continuous  sleep.  In  case  the  feeding 
of  cow's  milk  should  disagree  with  the  child, 
which  it  sometimes  does,  do  not  give  lime  water 
or  anything  else  in  the  way  of  medicines.  Many 
will  so  advise,  but  change  the  diet  a  little  to 
gruel  made  very  thin  from  rice  flour,  for  a  day 
or  two  until  the  condition  is  bettered. 

DIET  AND   DRESSING   OF   CHILDREN. 

How  often  we  notice  mothers  who  with  great 
earnestness,  study  the  cultivation  and  treatment 
of  flowers  to  make  them  healthy  and  beautiful, 


128        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

and  at  the  same  time,  do  not  manifest  but  little 
wisdom  in  regard  to  the  feeding  and  the  caring 
for  their  children,  though  they  are  their  most 
precious  treasures  on  earth. 

Why  should  we  wonder  at  this?  The  great 
majority  of  women  do  not  care,  nor  have  an 
understanding  of  what  is  proper  food  for  them- 
selves, hence  we  could  not  suppose  that  they 
will  properly  diet  their  children;  therefore,  it  is 
no  wonder  that  the  poor  little  children  suffer 
the  consequences  in  most  pitiful  results,  sick- 
ness, disease,  and  untimely  deaths.  But,  of 
course,  it  is  attributed  to  the  mysterious  will  of 
God.  Many  parents  of  sickly  and  puny  children 
expect  the  sympathy  of  their  friends  and  neigh- 
bors, because  of  their  misfortune.  Well, 
they  certainly  need  our  sympathy,  for  the  results 
of  their  ignorance  are  often  terrible  to  behold. 

The  food  for  children  need  net  be  different  from 
that  which  is  good  for  grown  people,  except  in 
quantity.  1  know  there  are  many  who  will  not 
agree  with  me  in  this,  but  it  is  my  conviction 
nevertheless.  On  account  of  manual  labor  in 
adult  life,  more  food  is  required  to  replace  the 
used-up  muscular  tissue. 

Some    people   are    very    careful    that    their 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        129 

children  do  not  partake  of  things  on  the  table 
which  they  themselves  eat  without  hesitation. 

It  is  true  that  children  are  not  as  able  to 
endure  unwholesome  food  as  adults;  but  we  are 
not  talking  about  what  can  be  endured. 

What  a  mistake  is  made  by  placing  upon  the 
tables  food  which  parents  themselves  partake 
of,  and  at  the  same  time  tell  their  children  it  is 
not  good  for  them !  Such  a  course  produces  two 
great  evils:  telling  a  lie,  and  destroying  the 
confidence  of  the  children.  We  must  secure 
pure,  wholesome  food,  the  same  for  old  and 
young;  their  bodies  are  constructed  from  the 
same  kind  of  material,  and  they  need  the  same 
kind  of  nourishment. 

It  is  also  a  very  ruinous  habit  to  allow  child- 
ren "  to  piece"  between  meals.  It  is  proper  to 
let  the  small  children  have  one  meal  more  a 
day  than  grown  people,  but  it  should  always  be 
at  a  regular  time,  and  never  late  in  the  evening. 

It  is  true  that  children  are  constantly  drink- 
ing, but  that  is  largely  the  result  of  eating 
meat,  grease,  salt,  spices,  sugar,  etc. 

When  people  learn  to  feed  them  properly, 
they  will  see  a  change  in  their  desire  for  over- 
drinking.    Another  great  injustice  placed  upon 


130        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

the  child  during  the  first  years  of  its  life  is  the 
manner  of  its  dress.  To  be  brief,  let  me  urge 
that  starched  clothes  be  abolished;  also,  long 
dresses  and  over-abundance  of  clothing.  It  is 
painful  to  see  little  ones  dragged  out  with 
mother  to  meetings  and  gatherings  in  these 
elaborate,  starched  costumes.  How  senseless 
the  length  and  trimming  of  skirts  and  dresses! 

Mothers  are  constantly  lamenting  over  their 
excessive  work.  Why  not  use  either  soft 
woolen  or  silk  (which  we  can  obtain  in  endless 
variety  of  weight  and  color),  especially  for  the 
comfort  of  the  child,  and  also  to  lighten  the 
labor  of  the  housewife.  It  would  also  be  much 
less  expensive.  I  sometimes  think  we  are  more 
unwise  in  regard  to  the  abundance  of  clothing 
than  anything  else — i.  e.,  the  amount  put  on  at 
once.  It  is  quite  laughable,  yet  a  serious  thing, 
to  behold  the  little  dressed-up  infant  in  public 
places,  red-faced,  over-heated,  sweating,  crying, 
with  its  little  head  immovable,  its  little  arms 
straight  out  like  sticks  from  the  bundle,  unable 
to  make  a  graceful  motion  or  curve.  If  it  were 
possible  to  see  its  little  legs,  you  would  find 
them  in  the  same  attitude.  In  the  first  place,  I 
would  say:  leave   infants   at    home,   if  there  is 


WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  131 

safety  in  doing  so.  If  they  must  be  taken  along, 
use  common  sense  in  dressing  and  bundling 
them  up. 

A  soft  woolen  shirt,  woolen  stockings,  under- 
skirt with  waist.  Dress,  and  of  course,  the  need- 
ful protection  in  the  form  of  diapers  are  sufficient 
for  indoor  wear  in  winter;  in  summer,  perhaps 
less.  There  is  no  need  for  so  much  bundling, 
if  the  proper  materials  are  worn.  When  taken 
out,  have  a  nice,  warm  woolen  wrap  or  cape 
(without  sleeves),  and  light  covering  for  the 
head;  and  remove  them  when  in  the  house, 
avoiding  drafts  and  cold,  damp  rooms. 

I  wish  to  suggest  that  the  girls  in  youth  be 
dressed  warmly  and  sensibly  as  boys  usually  are, 
because  they  suffer  most  on  account  of  fashion. 
They  should  have  warm,  thick,  solid,  comfort- 
able shoes,  and  heavy  woolen  hose  in  winter,  and 
their  skirts  long  enough  to  reach  to  the  ankle. 

They  should  not  wear  woolen  hoods;  hats  will 
keep  the  head  warm  enough.  The  extremities 
must  be  dressed  as  much  or  more  than  the 
trunk  of  the  body.  Let  the  children  go  out  in 
the  open  air  every  day,  winter  or  summer,  their 
nature  demands  it  in  order  to  make  them  healthy 
and  strong. 


132  WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 

I  am  thoroughly  convinced  that  thousands  of 
little  children  die  at  an  early  period  in  life 
because  of  improper  diet,  and  improper  dress- 
ing. 

Science  tells  us  that  one-third  of  the  race  die 
before  reaching  three  years  of  age. 

We  can  find  no  such  mortality  in  animals. 
Nature  imposes  a  penalty  for  broken  laws.  Has 
not  God  in  His  infinite  mercy  plainly  shown  us 
the  way  even  that  "a  wayfaring  man  though  a 
fool,  need  not  err  therein?" 

MOEAL  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN. 

There  is  a  general  belief  among  mothers  that 
infants  are  not  capable  of  being  trained  in  any 
way,  until  they  are  several  months  or  a  year 
old.  There  never  was  a  greater  mistake.  Until 
infants  are  treated  as  intelligent  beings,  which 
they  are  from  the  first,  there  can  never  be  per- 
fectly happy  homes. 

Infants  are  much  more  susceptible  to  impres- 
sion than  many  persons  imagine.  Man  is 
classed  with  the  animal  kingdom.  Physically, 
in  some  respects,  this  may  be  true.  But  man 
is  quite  distinct  from  animals.       He  is  an  intel- 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  133 

ligent  progressive  being,  and  belongs  to  the 
family  of  the  Gods. 

Joseph  Smith  is  credited  with  saying  that, 
"  As  man  is  now,  God  once  was;  as  God  is  now, 
man  may  become. "  The  capacity  for  receiving 
impressions  dates  back  to  the  time  of  concep- 
tion. The  prenatal  period  of  development,  as 
we  have  stated  before,  is  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance, because  it  is  the  foundation,  embracing 
the  underlying  principles  of  the  whole  life. 

Blessed  is  the  woman  who  understands  her 
"lessons  of  life"  so  well  as  to  realize  the  respon- 
sibilities of  motherhood  and  will  make  herself, 
all  that  she  wishes  her  children  to  be. 

I  think  King  Solomon  perfectly  understood 
this  subject  when  he  wrote,  "  Train  up  a  child 
in  the  way  it  should  go,"  etc.,  he  did  not  say 
tell,  nor  teach,  but  train. 

Infants  are  capable  of  being  trained  from  the 
first;  for  instance  if  the  lamp  is  burning  the 
whole  or  part  of  the  night  for  the  first  week,  the 
little  fellow  has  learned  enough  already  to  de- 
mand the  light  and  will  not  be  satisfied  without 
it.  Likewise,  if  it  is  "fussed"  with,  or  rocked 
every  time  it  makes  a  groan,  it  soon  takes  ad- 
vantage of  that  also,  proving  that   habits  are 


134  WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 

soon  formed.  Then,  can  we  not  see  the  great 
necessity  of  forming  correct  habits  and  teaching 
correct  principles  all  through  life? 

The  lamentations  we  hear  on  every  hand  con- 
cerning immorality  among  our  children,  should 
cause  every  mother  to  seek  for  the  key  which 
will  unlock  the  mysterious  chamber,  to  unfold 
to  her  view  the  needed  wisdom  to  train  properly 
the  little  sons  and  daughters  of  God. 

Have  you  noticed  how  the  much  adored  baby 
(in  almost  every  household),  is  allowed  to  play 
the  tyrant  in  the  midst  of  the  other  children. 
As  soon  as  it  is  old  enough  to  make  its  will 
known  by  screaming  and  fighting,  it  must  be 
obeyed  by  every  one,  because  it  is  the  baby. 
The  little  favorite  soon  learns  its  power  and 
obtains  everything  it  wants. 

It  may  take  a  fancy  to  little  brother's  play- 
things; little  brother  is  loath  to  part  with  them; 
baby  knows  what  will  bring  mother  to  the  res- 
cue. So  with  harsh  words  and  oftentimes  by 
other  forcible  means  she  compels  little  brother 
to  give  up  to  the  screaming  hero.  Do  mothers 
who  are  guilty  of  such  actions  ever  think  that 
they  are  spoiling  the  character  of  both  of  their 
children?     The  baby  is  allowed  to  have  its  own 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        135 

way,  no  matter  how  unreasonable.  The  little 
brother  sees  justice  trampled  under  foot,  and 
both  lose  respect  for  and  confidence  in  the 
mother.  Such  households  are  ever  in  a  state  of 
confusion.  The  rights  of  every  child  should  be 
respected.  Why  should  a  child  not  have  the 
same  right,  to  justice  as  we  ourselves  demand? 

Many  mothers  will  distort  the  truth  before 
the  children,  either  to  justify  their  own  actions, 
or  to  get  rid  of  them. 

Why  should  not  mothers  be  as  truthful  to 
their  children,  as  they  wish  their  children  to  be 
truthful  to  them?  Our  efforts  to  demand  polite- 
ness of  them  will  ever  be  fruitless  unless  we 
are  polite  to  them.  If  we  have  injured  a  child's 
feelings,  should  we  not  seek  its  pardon  just  as 
we  would  expect  one  child  to  do  by  another? 
Children  learn  mostly  by  example. 

What  do  you  think  of  rude  language?  The 
language  of  the  home  is  the  first  that  a  child 
hears  and  learns.  You  would  not  think  it  very 
bad  to  hear  a  mother  say  to  her  child,  "Shut 
your  mouth,"  and  many  other  such  awful  ex- 
pressions because  they  are  so  common,  but  you 
will  think  it  is  terrible  if  a  child  should  say  the 
same  to  the  mother.     And  terrible  it  is.     Any 


136        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

word  or  phrase  that  is  improper  for  a  child  to 
utter,  is  a  hundred  times  worse  for  the  mother. 

If  parents  would  use  proper  language,  the 
time  would  come  when  we  would  hear  nothing 
else,  and  the  same  is  true  of  good  manners. 

The  observance  of  due  courtesies  at  home 
would  make  a  much  better  and  happier  world. 

Manners  and  morals  are  co-existent,  and  are 
an  index  to  the  general  spirit  of  the  home. 

Deception,  with  its  fearful  results,  is  often 
placed  before  little  children,  both  by  example 
and  precept.  Mothers  sometimes  say  to  their 
children:  "  Do  so  and  so,  but  don't  let  your 
father  know  it."  We  see  the  same  thoughtless- 
ness made  manifest  in  the  breaking  of  little 
promises  to  children,  thus  destroying  confi- 
dence. 

Parents  should  look  upon  themselves  as  being 
teachers,  and  being  also  highly  responsible  for 
the  child's  character.  Let  us  cease  to  blame 
our  children  so  much  for  the  existing  immoral- 
ity and  lack  of  reverence  for  sacred  things,  and 
remove  the  chief  cause  of  it  from  ourselves. 

Let  us  learn  our  lessons  better.  Let  me 
plead  with  mothers  not  to  let  the  most  success- 
ful  period    (the    prenatal  and  nursing  period,) 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         137 

of  training  pass  thoughtlessly  by,  or  yon  will 
have  lost  yonr  best  chance. 

SOCIAL  PUEITY. 

It  is  a  source  of  regret  that  we  who  profess 
to  be  Saints  of  God  are  under  the  necessity  of 
continually  crying  out  in  behalf  of  social  purity 
in  our  midst.  Occasionally  a  great  moral  wave 
sweeps  over  the  country,  awakening  us  to  a 
sense  of  our  condition,  when  all  sorts  of  ideas 
spring  up  in  answer  to  the  problem.  How 
shall  we  create  a  higher  moral  standard  ? 
Lectures  are  delivered  on  the  subject  by  intelli- 
gent people  of  both  sexes.  The  question  is 
ventilated  by  the  press,  and  discussed  by  many 
organizations,  till  one  would  think  there  would 
be  a  reformation ;  but  to  the  close  observer  there 
seems  to  be  no  stopping  the  evil.  What  then 
can  be  done  ?  Is  there  no  remedy  ?  We  have 
hundreds  of  excellent  educational  institutions, 
and  thousands  of  efficient  and  ambitious  teach- 
ers. Yet  the  awful  condition  remains.  I  think 
the  trouble  largely  is,  that  we  individually  feel 
in  no  way  responsible  for  the  condition,  and 
shrink  from  the  duty  to  reprove  evil  in  our  own 

circles,  but  blame  the  public.     We  are  so  apt  to 

10 


138  WHAT    WOMEN    SHOULD   KNOW. 

think  that  an  ideal  life  calls  for  too  many- 
sacrifices;  but  it  is  not  so.  There  is  no  real 
pleasure  in  committing  sin  of  any  kind.  Let 
us  reason  with  each  other;  if  we  wish  to  rear  a 
massive  structure,  are  we  not  very  careful  to  lay 
a  solid  foundation,  else  all  the  additional  build- 
ing may  fall  into  a  shapeless  mass  ? 

Just  so  in  moulding  human  character.  How 
hopeless  and  reluctant  we  feel  in  attempting  to 
adorn  an  unstable  structure  ! 

There  can  never  be  a  successful  victory  of 
social  purity  until  the  ax  is  laid  at  the  root  of 
the  tree.  We  must  learn  the  grand  lesson  of 
starting  right.  Parents  must  be  familiar  with 
that  wonderful  science,  "  The  development  of  a 
new  being  under  their  tuition. "  We  are  very 
much  inclined  to  condemn  the  boy  or  girl  who 
is  caught  in  telling  a  lie,  deceiving  their  com- 
panions, or  perhaps  stealing,  or  doing  something 
disgraceful  in  society;  yet  never  for  a  moment 
think,  perhaps,  they' learned  their  first  lesson  at 
home,  although  from  a  respectable  family. 
Speaking  generally,  there  is  too  much  dis- 
honesty, deception,  untruthfulness,  and  rude 
language  practiced  in  so  many  homes,  that 
children   have   meagre   chances    to   learn  such 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        139 

lessons  as  will  qualify  them  to  take  their  part 
well  in  life.  When  they  go  into  society,  what 
kind  of  material  is  there  to  help  rear  that  beau- 
tiful structure,  social  purity  ? 

A  son  coming  from  a  home  where  the  strictest 
propriety  is  observed  between  husband  and  wife 
in  regard  to  virtue,  love,  respect,  truth,  appear- 
ance, and  language  will  very  seldom  be  one  who 
will  deceive,  lie,  steal,  abuse,  or  thrive  at  the 
expense  of  his  fellow-man.  He  will  likely  be 
one  in  whose  care  the  daughters  of  Zion  may  be 
trusted.  It  is  true,  there  are  many  allurements 
to  draw  children  away  from  home,  but  if  they 
have  a  superior  training  at  home,  they  are  to  a 
great  extent  fortified. 

There  are  so  many  wrongs  existing,  sinful 
practices,  I  think,  instead  of  being  licensed, 
should  be  prosecuted  to  the  bitter  end.  Many 
sober  people  think  a  well  conducted  saloon  is  a 
necessity.  Some  may  think  the  same  of  prosti- 
tution.    There  is  nothing  more  terrible. 

What  a  curse  is  strong  drink  to  humanity! 
The  evil  effects,  physically,  and  financially,  are 
sufficient  to  cause  sane  individuals  to  use  an 
influence  against  it;  even  if  nothing  be  said  of 
the  great  corruption  that  follows  in  its  wake. 


140        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

Street  corners  are  made,  into  breeding  places 
of  evil  by  constant  assemblages  of  lazy 
foul-mouthed  men,  whose  sallow  faces,  murky 
eyes  and  broken  down  constitutions,  (resulting 
from  inactivity,  debauchery  and  lack  of  moral 
courage,)  tell  us  that  they  are  dead,  though  un- 
buried.  Such  lessons  as  the  little  fellow  learns 
from  these  places,  cause  him  to  associate  all 
ideas  of  the  opposite  sex  with  sensuality. 

Another  subject  very  important  to  both  man 
and  woman  is  that  of  tobacco,— yes,  women, 
through  the  social  evil,  are  made  victims  of 
tobacco. 

Tobacco  as  is  well  known,  contains  that  ter- 
rible poisonous  element,  nicotine.  Scientists 
tell  us  that  even  one  drop  of  it  will  kill  a  dog 
instantly. 

The  man  who  is  a  slave  to  tobacco  will  con- 
sequently be  thoroughly  saturated  with  this 
poison.  The  seminal  fluid  which  is  the  most 
highly  refined  product  of  the  male  system  and 
also  the  life  giving  element  in  man,  will  un- 
avoidably contain  more  or  less  nicotine. 

Through  the  marriage  relation,  the  man  and 
the  woman  become  one  flesh.  The  seminal 
fluid    (containing     poison)     deposited     in    the 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        141 

female  system  brings  about  its  terrible  results, 
plainly  visible  to  those  who  understand  the 
peculiar  construction  of  woman. 

The  sexual  organism  especially,  is  abundantly 
supplied  with  nerves,  and  the  organs  so  deli- 
cately lined  with  tender  mucus  membranes, 
which  become  irritated  and  inflamed  when  this 
poison  is  thrust  upon  them,  which  causes  con- 
tinually increasing  misery,  one  female  complaint 
follows  another.  Even  the  mind  becomes 
affected  through  the  innumerable  nerves  of  the 
sexual  system  communicating  with  the  brain. 
It  shows  itself  in  irritability,  gloom,  and  dis- 
pondency.  The  loving  husband,  in  his  ignor- 
ance and  blindness,anxiously  seeks  far  and  wide 
for  remedies  for  his  afflicted  wife,  willing  to  pay 
any  price,  or  travel  any  distance,  if  he  could 
only  find  a  doctor,  who  could  cure  her. 

Never  does  he  think  that  he  himself  is  the 
destroyer  of  her  health.  That  he  could  be  her 
best  earthly  physician.  Oh,  the  ignorance 
which  yet  hovers  over  the  sons  and  daughters 
of  earth !  When  will  we  become  more  like  sons 
and  daughters  of  God?  When  will  we  be  will- 
ing to  dig  down  to  the  foundation  and  under- 
stand our  origin,  which  we  proclaim  so   loudly? 


142  WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD   KNOW. 

In  that  day  life  will  be  a  pleasure;  we  will 
not  defile  our  bodies,  which  are  our  costliest 
gifts,  neither  wilfully  nor  ignorantly. 

I  often  earnestly  wish  when  I  hear  eloquent 
lectures  delivered  by  gifted  speakers  on  the  in- 
jury of  the  tobacco  habit,  that  they  would  go  a 
little  farther  and  speak  of  the  injury  it  causes 
to  woman,  which  in  my  estimation  is  greater  on 
account  of  her  peculiarly  constructed  organism, 
and  the  relation  she  holds  to  man  in  the  mar- 
riage covenant. 

Another  element  that  contributes  to  demoral- 
ization of  society  is  round  dancing.  Dr.  Kel- 
log  in  one  of  his  works  says,  "Whatever  apolo- 
gies may  be  offered  for  dancing  as  a  means  of 
exercise,  under  certain  restrictions,  or  employed 
as  a  form  of  calisthenics,  no  such  excuse  can 
be  framed  for,  nor  in  defense  of  round  dancing, 
especially  of  the  waltz. 

"  In  addition  to  the  expense,  dissipation,  late 
hours,  fashionable  dressing,  midnight  feasting, 
exposures  through  excessive  exertions,  improper 
dress,  etc.,  it  can  be  shown  most  clearly  that 
dancing  has  a  direct  influence  in  stimulating  the 
passions  and  provoking  unchaste  desires,  which 
too  often  lead  to  unchaste  actions." 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        143 

Said  the  renowned  Petrarch:  "The  dance  is 
the  spur  of  lust,  a  circle  of  which  the  devil  him- 
self is  the  center." 

"  Many  women  that  use  it  have  come  home 
dishonest,  most  indifferent,  and  none  better." 

We  quote  the  following  from  the  pen  of  a 
gifted  woman  of  unblemished  character  and 
national  reputation.  The  statements  are  so 
clear  and  convincing  that  every  parent  should 
read  them : 

"  I  will  venture  to  lay  bare  a  young  girl's 
heart  and  mind  by  giving  my  own  experience 
in  the  days  when  I  waltzed.  I  little  cared  for 
the  polka  or  Varsovienne,  and  still  less  for  the 
old-fashioned  money  musk  or  Virginia  reel,  and 
wondered  what  people  could  find  to  admire  in 
those  slow  dances.  But  in  the  soft  floating  of 
the  wTaltz  I  found  a  strange  pleasure  rather 
difficult  to  intelligently  describe. 

"  The  mere  anticipation  fluttered  my  pulse, 
and  when  my  partner  approached"  to  claim  my 
promised  hand  for  the  waltz,  I  felt  my  cheeks 
glow  a  little,  and  I  could  not  look  him  in  the 
eyes  with  the  same  frank  gaiety  as  heretofore. 
I  am  speaking  openly  and  frankly,and  when  I  say 
I  did  not  understand  what  I  felt,  nor  what  the 


144        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

real  pleasure  was  that  I  derived  from  this  so- 
called  dancing,  I  expect  to  be  believed;  if  my 
cheeks  grew  red  with  uncomprehended  pleasure 
then,  they  grow  pale  with  shame  to-day  as  I 
think  of  it.  It  was  the  physical  emotions  en- 
gendered by  the  contact  of  strong  men  that  I 
was  enamored  of,  not  the  dance,  nor  even  the 
men  themselves. 

"  Girls  talk  to  each  other.  I  was  still  a  school 
girl,  although  mixing  up  with  the  world  so 
much.  We  talked  together;  we  read  romances 
that  fed  our  romantic  passions,  and  none  but 
ourselves  knew  what  subjects  we  discussed. 

"  Had  our  parents  heard  us  they  would  have 
considered  us  on  the  high  road  to  ruin,  yet  we 
had  been  taught  that  it  was  right  to  dance,  and 
our  parents  and  friends  did  it,  and  we  were  per- 
mitted. I  will  also  say  that  all  the  girls  with 
whom  I  associated,  with  the  exception  of  one, 
had  much  the  same  experience  in  dancing. 
Married  now,  with  home  and  children  around 
me,  I  can  at  least  thank  God  for  the  experience 
which  will  assuredly  be  the  means  of  prevent- 
ing my  little  daughters  from  indulging  in  any 
such  dangerous  pleasures.  I  doubt  if  my  ex- 
perience will  be  of  much  service,    but   it  is  the 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  145 

candid  truth,  from  a  woman  who,  in  the  cause  of 
all  the  young  girls  who  may  be  contaminated, 
desires  to  show  just  to  what  extent  a  young 
mind  may  be  defiled  by  injurious  effects  of 
round  dancing. 

"I  have  not  hesitated  to  lay  bare  a  young  girl's 
most  secret  thoughts  in  the  hope  that  people 
will  stop  and  consider,  at  least  before  handing 
their  lilies  of  purity  over  to  the  arms  of  any  one 
who  may  choose  to  blow  the  frosty  breath  of  dis- 
honor on  their  petals." 

The  aim  of  parents  should  be  to  arrange  and 
control  the  environments  of  the  young,  cure 
their  faults,  cultivate  their  talents,  and  develop 
their  virtues.  They  are  ours  to  make  or  mould 
or  to  mar  by  neglect  and  unwise  influence. 

Much  has  been  said,  and  rightly,  too,  about 
guarding  the  chastity  of  our  daughters  and 
leading  them  up  to  an  ideal  moral  standard,  but 
it  occurs  to  me  that  one  sided  teaching  and  work 
cannot  secure  the  best  results. 

Women  have  been  taught  to  regard  the  virtue 
of  their  own  sex;  and  those  who  are  fallen  can- 
not be  tolerated  in  society.  That  may  be  right. 
But  will  they  not  all  mingle  in  the  society  of 
the  fallen  man? 


146  WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 

So  long  as  only  feminine  virtue  is  required, 
so  long  as  men  have  nothing  to  lose  by  being 
immoral,  just  so  long  will  the  social  evil  be  the 
perplexing  question  of  the  hour. 

We  will  not  take  up  the  discussion  here,  but 
let  us  who  wish  to  reform  in  our  lives  continue 
to  be  diligent  in  seeking  the  best  way.  And 
may  God  bless  our  efforts. 

ECONOMY  IN  THE  HOUSE  BOLD. 

There  is  in  my  opinion  a  great  reformation 
needed  in  regard  to  the  economy  of  time  and 
money.  Life  is  too  short  to  spare  any  time  for 
gloom,  fretfulness  or  worry.  There  must  be  a 
regular  time  for  each  of  the  most  important 
home  duties.  The  mother  who  usually  takes 
the  great  generalship  of  home  must  be  as 
prompt  and  regular  as  a  teacher  with  his  classes; 
punctuality  is  strictly  a  business  principle  and 
if  practiced  in  the  home  will  be  a  means  of  suc- 
cess in  any  line  of  duty. 

The  mother  is  generally  cook,  chamber  and 
laundry  maid,  nurse,  dressmaker,  tailor,  knitter, 
etc,  if  not,  it  is,  or  should  be  done  under  her 
directions,  hence  she  has  many  opportunities  to 
practice  economy. 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        147 

Every  woman  should  also  keep  strict  account 
of  income  and  expenditures  of  the  home,  which 
is  another  great  factor  in  business  discipline.  It 
may  be  superfluous  to  add  that  income  must 
exceed  expenditure.  In  cooking  especially  great 
improvement  can  be  made,  both  in  time  and 
money. 

Women  in  general,  spend  too  much  time  in 
preparing  fancy  dishes, — working  people  and 
growing  children  need  good,  wholesome  food 
well  prepared. ,  Though  fancy  dishes  may  suit 
the  taste,  there  is  not  the  proper  nourishment 
in  them,  besides  they  require  so  much  time, 
patience  and  expense.  Use  less  sugar,  no  tea 
and  coffee,  spices  and  all  unwholesome  food. 
Do  not  waste  bread  by  burning,  nor  careless 
preparation,  nor  let  the  children  waste  it  as 
many  do.  It  is  sinful  to  be  careless  and  waste- 
ful, with  that  which  the  Lord  blesses  us  with  to 
sustain  life.  You  have  no  time  to  bake  bread 
to  throw  out  to  the  pigs  and  poultry.  Do  not 
leave  the  clothes  out  on  the  line  to  be  whipped 
to  pieces  by  stormy  winds;  avoid  starched 
clothing  as  much  as  possible,  it  takes  so  much 
time  and  strength,  and  we  can  look  decent  and 
respectful  without  them.       (Wrinkles   look  just 


148        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

as  bad  in  the  face  as  in  the  clothing.)  I  have 
nothing  against  wearing  white  clothes  on  some 
occasions,  but  that  constantly  dressing  in  white 
causes  a  terrible  amount  of  hard  work  for 
women,  and  you  can  always  hear  them  com- 
plaining of  being  overworked,  that  they  cannot 
get  time  to  attend  meetings.  Why  not  reform  in 
all  these  things  when  we  can?  Mothers  should 
not  always  be  tired.  That  "tired  feeling,"  and 
"that  tired  look,"  (remedies  for  which  are 
advertised  in  the  newspapers),  are  due  to  im- 
proper living,  lack  of  system — lack  of  knowl- 
edge of  real  necessities. 

With  a  proper  arrangement  of  household 
labor,  there  would  be  more  time  to  spend  in 
adorning  the  mind. 

Be  economical  in  dress.  Buy  such  material 
as  will  last ;  there  is  no  economy  in  buying 
cheap  goods.  It  takes  the  same  time  to  make 
it  up,  and  will  not  look  so  nice;  good  material 
needs  but  little  or  no  trimming. 

Do  not  wear  Sunday  dresses  every  day;  take 
good  care  of  them,  so  that  you  can  get  along 
with  about  one  or  two  a  year.  It  is  needless 
for  a  woman  to  have  four  or  five  dresses  every 
year.     It  is  also  a  shame  to  see  the  amount  of 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        149 

money  wasted  in  hats  every  season.  Women 
are  often  likened  to  angels  (wish  we  were,  in- 
deed); we  never  see  angels  decorated  with 
feathers,  ribbons,  flowers,  etc.  It  wonld  not 
add  to  their  beauty.  Extravagance  in  dress, 
especially  with  little  girls,  besides  being  a  great 
expense,  is  productive  of  vanity ;  it  does  not  tend 
to  elevate  their  tender  minds.  We  often  see 
them  tossing  their  little  heads,  and  telling  their 
less  favored  companions  that  their  own  dresses 
are  prettier.  They  should  be  taught  to  respect 
neatness,  and  to  take  good  care  of  their  clothes, 
so  they  will  arVays  look  like  new;  that  nice 
clothes  are  pretty,  but  that  there  is  nothing  so 
pretty  as  good  behavior.  A  dress,  no  matter 
how  elegant,  can  never  be  so  beautiful  as  a  truly 
beautiful  child. 

Disorder  in  the  house  causes  slouchy  habits, 
as  well  as  great  expenditure.  Teach  children  to 
always  hang  their  clothing  in  its  proper  place. 
Do  not  allow  them  to  throw  their  things  around 
carelessly,  especially  at  night  when  they  un- 
dress ;  but  fold  them  nicely,  and  lay  them  in  an 
appointed  place,  avoiding  confusion  in  the 
morning. 

Clothes  last  much  longer  if  well  taken  care  of; 


150        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

shoes,  when  not  being  worn  every  day,  should 
be  kept  away  from  the  dust.  Children  should 
not  be  allowed  to  climb  on  the  furniture; 
nothing  bespeaks  more  carelessness  than 
scratched  furniture.  Soiled  books  are  a  disgrace 
to  auy  household. 

Never  use  coal  oil  in  starting  fires;  it  is  too 
dangerous  and  expensive.  Do  not  allow  chil- 
dren to  drag  dishes  nor  clothing  out  of  doors  to 
play  with;  teach  them  to  pick  up  and  put  in 
their  respective  places  any  pins,  needles,  buttons, 
etc. ,  that  they  may  see  on  the  ground.  It  does 
not  pay  to  let  the  little  hoies  in  clothing 
go  without  mending;  they  grow  rapidly.  "A 
stitch  in  time  saves  nine."  Always  finish  a  new 
article  before  wearing  it.  Much  fuel  might  be 
saved  in  warm  weather  if  the  work  that  needs 
fire  was  done  at  one  time. 

Do  not  be  so  anxious  for  work  that  you  give 
yourself  no  rest.  How  many  mothers  practice 
economy  in  that  manner  until  they  hardly  allow 
themselves  any  rest,  nor  sufficient  sleep,  and 
consequently  break  down  in  health  ! 

Our  happiness  depends  largely  upon  our 
health,  and  our  health  depends  largely  upon  our 
will.     We  mast  not   waste   time,   this   precious 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  151 

time  allotted  to  us;  how  short  it  is,  when  we 
look  upon  the  great  amount  of  work  to  be  done, 
and  that  nothing  of  all  the  gains  of  life  can  we 
take  with  us  when  we  leave  this  world  except 
what  has  been  stored  up  in  the  mind!  Economy- 
is  a  virtue.  It  certainly  leads  to  independence. 
It  is  not  to  be  miserly  and  stingy,  but  to  know 
that  to  be  happy  and  comfortable  is  to  take 
proper  care  of  what  God  has  given  us- 

In  many  homes,  it  is  said,  enough  is  wasted 
to  feed  a  family.  Extravagant  habits  of  life  are 
destructive  vices,  and  are  so  prevalent  in  our 
civilization.  The  tendency  of  the  rising  genera- 
tion is  that  they  are  being  trained  in  pride  and 
conceit.  Everything  that  indulgent  parents 
can  provide  for  their  joy  and  pleasure  is  granted, 
sometimes  incurring  debts  that  may  cause 
failure  in  business.  It  is  not  in  accordance 
with  our  holy  religion  for  one  to  be  above 
another  on  account  of  better  financial  circum- 
stances, nor  on  account  of  educational  advan- 
tages. We  are  children  of  God,  who  causes  the 
sunshine  for  all.  He  alone  can  judge,  reward 
or  punish. 


152        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

QUALIFICATIONS  OF  A  NURSE. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  picture  out  to  you 
the  qualifications  of  our  modern  professional 
nurses,  but  as  one  who  anticipates  a  successful 
labor  of  life  when  entering  the  divine  mission 
of  superintending  a  household  as  wife  and 
mother. 

The  qualifications  of  such  a  nurse  are  not  only 
to  understand  the  art  of  nursing  her  family  in 
sickness,  but  equally  important  is  the  nursing 
of  a  family  in  health  so  as  to  avoid  sickness. 

This  to  me  is  the  most  modern  qualification 
of  nurses.  If  I  had  the  power  I  would  demand 
that  every  young  woman  should  have  a  chance 
for  that  kind  of  an  education  before  marriage, 
for  it  is  a  sorrowful  fact  that  health  is  de- 
stroyed and  lives  are  lost  as  a  result  of  ignor- 
ance on  the  part  of  mothers,  both  old  and 
young. 

Nursing  of  the  sick  calls  for  many  an  im- 
portant qualification  in  the  nurse  in  order  to 
secure  a  successful  restoration  of  health.  She 
must  have  a  knowledge  of  physiology  and 
hygiene,  and  be  well  and  healthy  herself  in 
order  to  be  cheerful  and  full  of  hope,  for  it  is 
very  necessary  that  she  impart  these  life-giving 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.         153 

elements  to  her  patient,  she  must  have  the 
strictest  sense  of  cleanliness  and  order,  not  only- 
regarding  her  own  person,  bnt  her  patient  as 
well.  Nothing  is  more  necessary  than  to  keep 
both  patient  and  bed  perfectly  clean,  for  it  is 
very  annoying  to  the  sick  to  see  a  disorderly 
nurse. 

She  must  have  a  perfect  understanding  of 
ventilation  and  disinfection.  No  doubt  she  will 
have  a  struggle  to  fully  engage  nature's  remedial 
agents  of  health,  for  if  there  is  anything  people 
in  general  are  afraid  of  it  is  air,  water  and  sun- 
shine. 

There  must  always  be  an  outlet  for  impure 
air  and  an  inlet  for  the  pure  air  to  enter, 
not  air  from  another  room,  but  really  God's 
pure  air  from  outside.  A  nurse  must  be  sym- 
pathetic, with  tender  touch  and  gentle  manners. 
I  do  not  mean  that  kind  of  sympathy  which  so 
many  manifest  to  the  detriment  of  the  patient. 
They  will,  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  tell  the 
patient  how  very  bad  she  looks,  and  that  her 
condition  is  very  dangerous,  adding  fear  and 
excitement  to  the  already  burdened  soul. 

If  the  patient  really  looks  worse,  she  does  not 

need  to  be  told  of  it,  and  if  she  feels  worse,  she 
11 


154        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

might  be  told  that  her  condition  may  not  be 
any  worse  even  if  she  don't  feel  so  well.  En- 
couragement has  a  wonderful  effect  upon  the 
sick.  The  nurse  must  gain  the  confidence  of 
the  patient  by  being  truthful.  Deception,  with 
its  train  of  evil  effects,  must  never  enter  the 
sick  room.  Disinfection  is  another  effectual 
agent,  which  must  be  thoroughly  understood. 
I  do  not  believe  because  one  child  has  diphtheria, 
measles,  scarlet  fever,  or  other  contagious 
disease,  that  the  other  children  necessarily 
need  to  take  it.  If  our  women  understood  the 
true  art  of  nursing,  including  disinfection,  great 
results  could  be  obtained  in  checking  the  spread 
of  contagions.  In  cases  of  contagious  diseases, 
the  affected  one  should  be  removed  to  a  separate 
empty  room.  The  air  in  the  room  can  be  kept 
much  purer  if  there  is  no  carpet,  curtains, 
or  extra  furniture;  have  no  feather  bed.  When 
the  clothing  is  changed,  it  should  be  wrapped  in 
a  large  towel  wrung  out  of  carbolic  water  (one 
part  to  fifty  of  water),  and  conveyed  at  once  to 
the  boiler  on  the  stove,  and  not  through  any  of 
the  rooms  occupied  by  the  other  people;  these 
clothes  must  not  be  washed  with  any  other 
clothes.     It  is   commendable    to    sprinkle   the 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        155 

same  solution  on  the  floor  occasionally,  and 
always  wash  hands,  and  any  applied  instru- 
ment, either  syringes,  catheters,  or  vessels,  after 
use.  All  excrementitious  matter  from  the 
patient  must  be  buried  immediately,  and  the 
nurse  disinfect  herself  thoroughly  before  mix- 
ing with  the  rest  of  the  family.  I  mention  these 
few  points  on  disinfection,  realizing  that  so 
many  women  have  no  idea  of  it  whatever. 

Above  all  other  desirable  qualifications,  a 
nurse  should  be  a  spiritual-minded  woman,  not 
a  long-faced,  penitent,  preaching  one,  but  one 
who  has  an  unwavering  faith  in  God  and  His 
power.  Such  a  woman  is  happy  and  cheerful, 
knowing  that  God  is  the  true  restorer  of  health, 
and  she  is  willing  and  glad  to  strictly  comply 
with  every  requirement  marked  out  in  His  holy 
word  (Word  of  Wisdom),  because  of  her  faith 
in  the  glorious  promises  attending  the  same. 

THE  TRUE  HEALING  ART. 

Th«  old  adage — an  ounce  of  prevention  is 
better  than  a  pound  of  cure,  gives  the  general 
idea  that  it  is  easier  to  avoid  sickness  than  to 
battle  with  it  when  once  overtaken;  therefore, 
when  we  have  become  a  prey  to  sickness,  either 


156  WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 

as  a  penalty  for  broken  laws,  or  perhaps  God 
has  permitted  the  destroyer  to  seize  us  that  we 
might  through  the  trial  learn  a  lesson— in  either 
case  how  desirable  that  we  understand  the  best 
method  of  cure! 

I  remember  once,  many  years  ago,  while  I 
was  engaged  in  my  profession,  a  suffering  soul 
remarked  in  my  hearing,  "Oh,  if  I  had  lived  in 
the  days  of  Jesus,  I  know  He  would  and  could 
have  taken  me  by  the  hand  and  let  me  walk." 
I  remember  how  pitifully  we  wept  together,  for 
the  sufferer  was  a  darling  child  of  mine,  suffering 
long  and  severe,  the  result  of  an  accident.  We 
wept  because  such  power  was  no  longer  in  the 
reach  of  suffering  mortals. 

But  in  the  blessed  day  when  the  beautiful 
Gospel  was  brought  to  me  and  its  penetrating 
power  had  made  clear  to  my  understanding  that 
once  more  the  heavenly  gift  to  heal  the  sick 
was  restored  to  earth,  my  hopes  for  brighter 
days  were  realized-  For  I  had  all  my  life  been 
a  searching  pilgrim,  searching  for  something  I 
did  not  know  what  until  the  Gospel  was  brought 
to  me  in  all  its  beauty  and  grandeur.  Now,  my 
dear  sisters,  I  wish  to  tell  you  that  above  all 
other    people,    we   have   the   true   healing   art 


WHAT   WOMEN     SHOULD   KNOW.  157 

among  us;  but  too  few  of  the  Saints  realize  it. 
I  believe  that  the  power  to  heal  sick  belongs  to 
God  alone.  He  uses  men  and  (sometimes 
women)  as  His  instruments  to  bring  about  His 
purposes,  hence  the  needed  assurance  that  those 
who  operate  in  His  name  do  so  in  the  appointed 
way. 

An  eminent  doctor  has  said  that  "disease  is 
an  effort  on  the  part  of  the  system  to  rid  itself 
of  accumulated  corruptions."'  Now  if  that  is 
so  we  should  understand  the  best  way  to  assist 
nature  in  its  efforts,  we  must  find  out  the  cause 
and  remove  it.  As  a  rule  the  sufferer  is  fever- 
ish, it  is  an  excellent  thing  to  open  the  pores  of 
the  skin  by  giving  a  sponge  bath  cf  tepid  water 
and  flush  the  color  thoroughly;  keep  these 
avenues  open  and  nature  will  soon  do  the  rest, 
take  no  physic  and  but  little  food,  but  drink 
freely  of  cold  water;  apply  cold  wet  packs  to 
the  head.  Science  teaches  us  today  that  most 
all  diseases  are  due  to  the  lodgment  of  bacilla, 
or  bacteria,  germs  which  find  lodgment  and 
muliply  in  the  putrid  or  waste  matter  found  in 
the  system,  hence  the  body  must  be  kept 
thoroughly  clean,  internally  as  well  as  extern- 
ally. 


158  WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD   KNOW. 

Many  people  think  they  must  have  some 
special  treatment  or  something  special  to  take 
for  every  little  ailment.  But  I  can  promise 
them  if  they  will  only  use  common  sense,  and 
eat,  drink,  sleep,  sit.  stand,  breath,  and  work 
properly  they  will  not  have  to  spend  much  time 
in  sickness.  Nothing  is  more  simple;  if  the 
body  is  too  hot,  cool  it,  as  has  been  stated;  if  too 
cold,  warm  it — externally,  not  by  taking  stimu- 
lants. Strive  to  obtain  a  normal  condition. 
When  we  have  thus  treated  our  sick,  I  feel  that 
they  are  in  a  condition  for  us  to  send  for  the 
Elders  to  administer  to  them.  My  belief  is  so 
strong  that  the  sick  thus  treated,  will  recover 
through  administration,  if  they  are  not  appointed 
unto  death. 

PHYSICAL  CULTURE. 

The  advantages  and  needs  of  exercise  having 
been  treated  in  this  book,  it  will  be  unnecessary 
to  deal  with  that  subject  further.  Before  pro- 
ceeding, however,  to  give  a  few  exercises,  which 
may  be  found  beneficial,  we  will  consider 
posture  and  its  bearing  upon  health. 

It  is  of  primary  importance  that  the  body  be 
in  correct  poise   (fig  1),    head   erect,    chest   up, 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 


159 


and  hips  drawn  well  back.     In  this  position  the 
organs  are  in  proper  relatfon  to  each  other,  able 


CORRECT    POSITION. 


to  perform  their  own  functions,   and  not   inter- 
fere   with    neighboring     organs.      Pelvic    and 


160        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

uterine    disorders    are    no   doubt   brought    on 
almost  entirely  through   incorrect   attitude,  or 


INCORKECT  POSITION. 


by  crowding  the  pelvic  organs  by  bands,  waists, 
and  corsets.     Dr.  Eliza  M.  Mosher,  of  Brooklyn, 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        161 

states  that  in  all  her  very  extensive  practice 
among  women,  she  can  always  trace  pelvic 
diseases  to  faulty  attitude  or  clothing.  If  this 
be  true,  the  treatment  of  these  diseases  does  not 
lie  in  the  province  of  drugs,  but  a  cure  will  be 
assured  if  the  causes  be  removed,  i.  e.,  wrong 
dressing,  and  bad  habits  of  standing,  sitting, 
.and  walking. 

Bound  Shoulders. — Few  people,  women 
especially,  are  found  who  are  not  "round 
shouldered."  In  the  majority  of  instances  the 
deformity  is  aggravated  by  putting  on  braces, 
corsets,  etc.  A  brace  of  any  description  only 
holds  the  member  in  position,  and,  by  doing  the 
work  of  the  muscles,  leaves  them  in  a  weaker 
condition  than  before.  To  overcome  round 
shoulders  bring  the  muscles  which  hold  the 
shoulders  back  to  a  good  condition,  and  this 
deformity  will  disappear.  The  average  mother, 
upon  noticing  her  daughter's  hollow-chested 
condition,  tells  her  "to  stand  up  straight,"  and 
and  the  girl  throws  her  shoulders  back,  bending 
back  from  the  waist,  and  thereby  creates  a  worse 
condition  than  the  first. 

"  Eound  shoulders"  are  more  frequently  found 
to  be  the  result  of  the   hips  being   carried  for- 


162  WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 

ward  and  upward  rather  than  to  a  weakened 
condition  of  the  muscles  holding  the  scapulae 
back.  It  will  also  be  noticed  the  chin  is  pushed 
out,  and  the  head  drops  on  the  chest.  (Fig.  2.) 
Whether  this  condition  of  hollow- chestedness 
and  round  shoulders  be  due  to  the  lessening  of 
the  obliquity  of  the  pelvis  or  be  due  to  a  lack  of 
strength  in  the  muscles  of  the  back,  the  follow- 
ing exercise,  if  practiced  regularly  each  day, 
will  aid  in  remedying  this  deplorable  condition. 

1st  Exercise.  Close  the  fists  and  place  them 
side  of  the  chest,  arms  bent,  elbows  high.  Push 
the  arms  vigorously  forward.  Bring  the  arms 
back  to  the  chest  forcibly,  taking  care  not  to 
allow  the  elbows  to  drop. 

2nd  Exercise.  Extend  the  arms  in  front, 
palms  facing  each  other.  Separate  the  arms, 
bringing  them  back  as  far  as  possible,  being 
careful  to  keep  the  arms  the  height  of  the 
shoulders. 

3rd  Exercise.  Place  hands  on  hips,  thumbs 
back.  Push  the  chin  forward  (not  up),  then 
bring  the  chin  back  sharply.  Put  more  force 
upon  the  second  part  of  the  exercise,  in  order 
that  the  muscles  that  hold  the  head  erect  may 
be  developed. 


WHAT  WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW.  163 

Obliquity  of  the  Pelvis. — The  pelvis  should 
normally  slant  downward  and  backward  from 
40°  to  45°.  Dr.  Mosher  states  that  when  the 
obliquity  of  the  pelvis  was  less  than  38°  there 
was  always  found  some  pelvic  disease.  She  also 
found  that  the  patients  had  been  told  as  chil- 
dren to  "  stand  straight,"  "  put  the  stomach 
in,"  etc.,  indicating  plainly  that  the  disease  was 
the  result  of  the  bad  posture,  and  the  posture 
not  the  result  of  the  disease. 

When  the  pelvis  is  rotated  forward  and  up- 
ward, the  weight  of  the  intestines,  stomach, 
liver,  heart,  lungs,  etc.,  no  longer  rests  upon  the 
strong  abdominal  wall,  but  is  transferred  to  the 
pelvic  organs.  The  spinal  column  loses  a  por- 
tion of  its  anterior  lumbar  curve,  which  makes 
room  for  the  abdominal  visera  to  drop  backward 
into  the  pelvic  cavity.  When  we  consider  six- 
teen or  eighteen  feet  of  small  intestine,  more 
often,  and  otherwise  weighted  with  gas,  swing- 
ing upon  a  relaxed  and  lengthened  messentery, 
and  crowded  into  the  pelvis,  not  only  by  gravita- 
tion, but  by  abdominal  and  corset  pressure,  we 
may  easily  account  for  uterine  troubles. 

Moreover,  the  lessened  obliquity  of  the  pelvis 
in  itself  produces  actual  increase  of   pressure,    as 


164 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 


may  be  demonstrated  by  a  law  of  hydrostatics, 
i.  e., — the  pressure  upon  the  floor  of  a  vessel 
containing  fluid  depends  upon  the  area  of  the 
floor  and  the  depth  of  the  liquid. 

In   Fig   3,   let  a,  b,   represent  the  waist  line 
narrowed  by  tight  bands  and  corset  steels;  c,  d. 


the  abdomino-lumbar  line,  lengthened  by  tip- 
ping the  pelvis  up.  The  contents  of  the 
abdomen  thus  form  a  cone,  a,  b,  c,  d.  By  the 
above  law,  we  see  that  the  pressure  on  the  floor 
of  this  cone  is  equal  to  the  pressure  on  the  floor 
of  the  cylinder  e,  f,  c,  d. 

With  a  normal  waist  line  and  pelvis  held  in 
normal  obliquity,  the  altered  condition  may  be 
illustrated  by  Fig  2.  By  rotating  the  pelvis 
downward  and  backward  the  base  of  the  cone 
has  been  lessened,  and  the  pressure  no  longer 
falls  on  c,  d,  but  in  front  of   that  line,   and  the 


WHAT   WOMEN    SHOULD    KNOW. 


165 


cylinder  is  made  smaller.  The  lessening  of  the 
obliquity  ot  the  pelvis  is  the  result  of  many 
things — high-heeled  shoes,  corsets,  waist  bands, 
rocking  chairs,  school  desks,  lack  of  proper 
exercise,  standing,  etc.,  etc.     It  is  impossible  in 

b  f 


by  far  the  larger  number  of  chairs  and  school 
desks  to  place  the  pelvis  at  the  normal  angle, 
and  at  the  same  time  use  the  back  of  the  seat 
to  support  the  shoulders. 

As  soon  as  the  pelvis  is  tipped  upward,  in 
order  to  maintain  the  equilibrium  of  the  body, 
the  chest  drops  down,  shoulders  are  brought 
forward  and  chin  out.  Tell  the  individual  with 
this  posture  to  stand  erect,  and  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  the  shoulders  are  tilted  back  and  the 
hips  brought  farther  forward;  thus  by  bringing 
more  weight  upon  the  lower  spine  the  pelvic 
disturbance  is  aggravated,  and  causes  "back 
ache."  If  the  hips  are  well  drawn  back,  the  chest 


166        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

must  of  necessity  be  carried  high  and  the 
shoulders  back.  Therefore,  as  before  stated,  so 
called  round-shoulders  is,  in  nearly  all  instances, 
caused  by  lessing  of  the  obliquity  of  the  pelvis. 

Stand  against  the  wall,  heels,  buttocks,  and 
shoulders  touching  the  wall,  now  move  the 
weight  forward  until  it  is  over  the  balls  of  the 
feet  and  you  will  be  in  correct  poise.     (Fig.  3.) 

Practice  the  exercises  given  here,  sit  erect, 
walk  and  stand  with  hips  drawn  back,  thus 
standing  incorrect  poise  and  your  pelvic  troubles 
will  disappear;  providing  that  you  eat,  live,  and 
dress  as  this  book  advises. 

In  walking  do  not  drag  the  body  after  the 
feet,  but  keep  the  weight  in  front  of  the  feet, 
with  the  body  the  same  time  erect.  Swing  the 
leg  forward  from  the  hip,  so  that  the  ball  of  the 
foot  strikes  the  floor  or  ground  first. 

The  following  exercises  will  be  found  bene- 
ficial to  women,  as  they  strengthen  the  abdominal 
muscles,  aid  respiration  and  lift  the  chest 
upward.  They  will  be  found  useful  in  bringing 
the  abdominal  muscles  back  to  a  normal  condi- 
tion after  confinement.  These  exercises  may 
be  taken  with  safety  and  benefit  during 
pregnancy,  provided:  1st,  that  the  woman  is  not 
liable  to  miscarry;   2nd,  that  the  exercises  are 


WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW.        167 

begun  before  pregnancy,  and  are  taken  every 
day.  On  no  account  begin  the  exercises  after 
conception  unless  you  are  in  the  habit  of  ex- 
ercising or  evil  may  result. 

1st  Exercise.  Lie  flat  upon  the  floor  with 
no  pillow  under  the  head.  Raise  the  right  bent 
knee  until  it  touches  the  chest  Raise  the 
left  in  the  same  manner  (very  slowly.)  Raise 
both  feet  together.  Raise  right  leg  twelve 
times,  left  twelve,  and  both  twelve.  Begin 
taking  each  exercise  three  times  and  gradually 
increase  the  number  day  by  day  until  it  may 
be  taken  twelve  times. 

2nd  Exercise.  Lie  flat  upon  the  floor.  Raise 
the  right  leg  straight  three  times  increasing 
to  nine.  Same  left.  Same  both  legs.  Do  not 
bend  knees. 

3rd  Exercise.  Lie  flat  upon  floor.  Hands 
at  side.  Bring  the  body  up  to  a  sitting  position. 
Practice  twice  at  first  increasing  as  you  gain 
strength  until  you  are  able  to  perform  this  ex- 
ercise ten  times. 

4th  Exercise.  Stand  erect.  Hands  on  hips. 
Bend  the  trunk  forward  and  downward  as  far 
as  possible,  and  bring  up  to  an  erect  position. 
Practice  five  times  increasing  to  fifteen.  Bring 
the  head  as  near  the  floor  as  you  can. 


168        WHAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  KNOW. 

5th  Exercise.  Lie  flat  on  the  floor.  Raise 
both  heels  about  five  inches  off  the  floor  and 
seperate  legs,  bringing  them  back  to-gether, 
then  on  the  floor  as  at  first.  Practice  from  two 
to  six  times. 

6th  Exercise.  Lie  flat  on  floor.  Bring  the 
back  of  the  hands  together  down  in  front  of 
body,  raise  forward  overhead  taking  in  a  deep 
breath,  separate  hands  bringing  arms  sideward 
and  downward,  exhaling. 

7th  Exercise.  Hang  on  the  door  or  on  the  bar 
arranged  in  the  doorway,  taking  in  deep  breaths. 

8th  Exercise.  Hang  on  the  door  or  bar  and 
pull  up  as  far  as  you  can. 

While   exercising   have   the    windows    open. 
Practice  in  little  clothing. 
1st  week,  practice  Ex.  1  each  day. 

"    1  and  6 
"    1,2  and  6 

tt  n  a 

"    1,2,6  and  7 

it  a  tt 

"    1,2,6,7  and  3    " 
"    1,2,3,6,7,4 

it  n  k 

»    1,2,3,4,6,7,8       " 


2nd 

a 

3rd 

a 

4th 

it 

5th 

it 

6th 

tt 

7th 

a 

8th 

a 

9th 

a 

10th 

it 

11th 

it 

12th 

a 

13th 

a 

Continue. 

1,2,3,4,6,7,8,5    " 

Maud  May  Babcock. 


7  ^  5"Z  '  H 


lo"%5 


'mm 


